UN urges action amid ‘triple-layered crisis’ in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan region - The United Nations on Monday called for action in Syria, stating that the country is facing “a triple-layered crisis,” following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, amid an influx of Syrians returning to their homes, and internal displacement.

“Syria faces a triple-layered crisis: 16.7M people in need, influx of returnees & new displacements due to recent hostilities,” the UN said on X.

They added that the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan of $4.07 billion is only 31.6% funded, stressing that urgent action is needed.

United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen said on Tuesday that while much of Syria appears stable following the collapse of Assad's regime, stability remains “fragile,” with ongoing violence and displacement in the northeast Syria (Rojava) threatening the country's peace.

“We all know that Syria has been through an enormous also humanitarian crisis. So, we need to make sure that Syria receives increased immediate humanitarian assistance to the people in Syria and to all the refugees who want to return. This is extremely critical,” Pedersen told journalists in Damascus last week.

The global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) has provided humanitarian aid for people displaced by recent fighting in northern Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Friday.

Nearly 120,000 people from Shahba arrived in the Kurdish-held town of Tabqa in Raqqa province, Sheikhmous Ahmed, head of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) office for the displaced and refugees, told Rudaw English earlier this month.

They were fleeing an offensive by the Syrian National Army (SNA), rebel groups backed by Turkey, that coincided with a rebel offensive led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that ousted Assad.

The SNA, however, has continued its offensive, targeting Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates River and Qere Qozaq bridge south of Kobane.

The collapse of Assad’s regime marked a new start in Syria’s history. The HTS-led groups established a transitional government led by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, who has promised a future Syrian state that guarantees the rights of all its citizens.

Thousands of Syrians have returned from abroad after the developments took place.