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Syria: Emergency distribution in an area recently recovered from ISIS

Published on Monday 9 January 2017

In the Aleppo governorate, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is undertaking day by day its intervention for Syrian populations. In the face of the risks for their own safety and the challenges of limited access and resources, our teams have been up close with populations affected by a 5-year conflict.

Families in need, displaced several times

Our teams have been focusing their response in Suran district, in the north of the country, in recent weeks. In this area only recently taken back from ISIS, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL counted 21,880 people. Among them, 4,680 arrived recently, fleeing the fighting in other parts of Aleppo governorate, namely in Al Bab. More than 500 of them, mostly unaccompanied children, were identified as particularly vulnerable and deprived. They report having been displaced an average of four times, sometimes much more, since the beginning of the Syrian conflict. They are only able to carry very limited possessions when they move.

distribution syrian refugees

Our water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) teams, with our assessment experts, met with these displaced persons and representatives of the host communities who are also vulnerable, says Philippe Bonnet, Head of our Syria mission. Our teams identified more than 3,100 people for whom an emergency assistance has proven essential.”

600 kits distributed in 4 days

While winter conditions are falling upon Syria, our teams managed to organize severl distributions to address the immediate needs of particularly vulnerable families. They were able to provide hundreds of kits with essential items (mattresses, blankets, hygiene products, jerry-cans, kitchenware, etc.) to several hundred households in Dabiq, Suran and Ehtmalat.

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Trucks on their way to Suran, provided by IOM

In total, Philippe Bonent continues, 6 trucks, provided by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) allowed us to distribute 600 kits to pinpointed families. In only 4 days, 127 kits were handed out in Dabiq, 235 in Ehtmalat and 237 in Suran. Each kit contains items essential for a household of four to five people. 600 kits may seem few compared to the extent of Syrian populations’ needs, but it was our capacity to deploy rapidly, precisely where the needs are, and to get access to areas where populations have received no other relief, that made this intervention essential.”

Beyond the relief they have brought to these conflict victims, these kits also mean hope that relief can reach them and reminds them that they have not been forgotten.

  • 22.1 million inhabitants
  • 150th out of 191 countries on the Human Development Index
  • 872.261 people helped