The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the UN and its humanitarian partners are continuing to deliver aid in southern Syria amid a volatile security situation and limited funding. OCHA states that the security situation in southern Syria remains unpredictable, with ongoing incidents contributing to rural instability.
Although a ceasefire is in place, there have been localized tensions in recent weeks, including armed clashes and criminal activity. Ongoing political and security issues threaten to undermine the ceasefire, and the risk of conflict persists.
While humanitarian access is generally open, the International Medical Corps (IMC) reports that some restrictions and disruptions persist.
In a Wednesday update, OCHA reported that nearly 420,000 people received humanitarian assistance each month in the governorates of Daraa, Sweida, and Rural Damascus in July, August, and September.
Since hostilities began in the As-Sweida Governorate in July, OCHA has led 19 humanitarian missions to southern Syria. Of these, 12 were to the As-Sweida Governorate, 5 were to the Dara Governorate, and 2 were to the Rural Damascus Governorate. These missions aimed to assess the needs of displaced people and communities affected by the crisis.
While some 187,000 people are still displaced, OCHA warns that the security situation in southern Syria remains volatile, with sporadic armed incidents continuing to impact humanitarian access and the protection of civilians.
In As-Sweida Governorate, essential services remain under strain due to conflict, economic decline and administrative hurdles, with disruptions in the sectors of food, health and agriculture.
Public bakeries have temporarily closed, and urgent agricultural support is needed ahead of the planting season between October and December to prevent further food insecurity. Aid agencies also report that the hospital in Shahba faces severe shortages of water, electricity, communications, and medical supplies.
With the start of the academic year, 62 schools that served as displacement sites closed in the As-Sweida and Dara governorates, causing the renewed displacement of more than 7,400 people.
OCHA notes that explosive hazards remain a serious threat in the region. Recently, two displaced children from As-Sweida were killed in Hrak, in Dara Governorate, after coming into contact with a landmine.
The United Nations' US$3.2 billion humanitarian response plan for Syria has only received about $580 million, or 18 percent of the total funding needed. Despite these constraints, humanitarian organizations have provided assistance to an average of 3.4 million people across the country each month between January and August of this year.
Syria is experiencing one of the world’s most severe and complex humanitarian emergencies, driven by protracted conflict, economic collapse, and climate-related disasters. The crisis is particularly acute in north-west and north Syria, where the combined effects of conflict, the February 2023 earthquake, and recurring climate shocks have caused widespread devastation to infrastructure and basic services.
For the past fourteen years, Syrian civilians have endured massive and systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Despite significant political changes in the country in recent months, the Syrian people continue to endure one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.
The war has devastated Syria's economy and infrastructure, leaving millions without adequate housing, reliable access to water and electricity, and other basic services. Currently, more than 16.7 million Syrians, including approximately 6.5 million children, urgently need humanitarian aid, including food, shelter, and healthcare.
Although there has been some progress, Syria's humanitarian needs remain immense. Years of conflict have pushed 90 percent of the population into poverty. Approximately 7 million people remain displaced within Syria, and over 5 million are living as refugees abroad. Over half of the population — 12.9 million people — is food insecure, with nearly 3 million facing severe food insecurity.
The health system is severely strained, with more than one-third of hospitals operating only partially or not at all, and access to care for maternal health, newborns, and chronic diseases extremely limited.
As of October, approximately 1.1 million Syrians have returned from other countries, and nearly 1.9 million internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned to their areas of origin or choice since December 8, 2024. However, some 900,000 people have been newly displaced in 2025.