OCHA warns of volatile security, displacement in southern Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday that the security situation across southern Syria remained unpredictable through November and early December, with localized escalations continuing to disrupt civilian movement and access to basic services.
In an update, OCHA reported 24 casualties, including 17 children, caused by 11 explosive ordnance-related incidents in November across Suwayda, Daraa, and Rural Damascus governorates.
The agency said that as of Dec. 4, about 155,200 people remain displaced following hostilities that erupted in mid-July in Suwayda, according to the IDP Taskforce.
Around 20,000 people have returned, mainly to Suwayda city and the Shahba district, while nearly 14,000 others relocated to alternative sites and camps after the closure of 94 displacement sites, including 65 schools, since September.
OCHA noted that humanitarian partners reached 478,000 people in November with multi-sector assistance, including non-food items, cash support, and winterization aid. However, critical funding gaps across all sectors are limiting the response, leaving major unmet needs in shelter, food security, protection, WASH [water, sanitation, and hygiene], cash assistance, and health services.
The agency added that sporadic armed incidents, criminal activity, and movement restrictions continue to affect communities in Suwayda, Daraa, and Quneitra. While humanitarian access along the southern corridor remains functional, operations face bureaucratic and logistical delays.
OCHA indicated that localized clashes in Suwayda western countryside during November marked the most serious escalation since mid-July, underscoring the governorate’s ongoing fragility.
Southern Syria has seen recurring instability in recent years due to localized armed conflicts, weak ceasefire arrangements, and the presence of rival factions. Suwayda, in particular, has experienced repeated escalations since mid-2024, driving displacement and complicating humanitarian efforts amid declining international funding.