(Photo by EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid via Flickr/CC BY 2.0 DEED)
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The war in Syria continues to this day, with no real end in sight. The multi-pronged civil war began in 2011 after pro-democracy protests erupted to challenge the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian crisis is complex, involving not only groups within Syria but also international actors and jihadist groups, all of whom possess differing visions for the future of Syria. Various rebel groups, supported by the U.S., Turkey, and others, oppose the Assad regime and want to see an end to his rule. Jihadist groups, like ISIS, meanwhile, seek to grow their influence and occupy as much territory as they can get their hands on. The number of groups involved and difficulty finding any path forward have made the conflict a real political challenge for the international community.
Amid this complexity, however, lies one fundamental tragedy — the devastating humanitarian consequences of the war. More than 6 million Syrians have been internally displaced due to the ongoing hostilities in the country, with millions of others left to fend for themselves, often without access to necessities like food and water. The United Nation’s most recent estimate finds that today, nearly 17 million Syrians need humanitarian assistance, with around half of those in need being children. A high-magnitude earthquake in early 2023 only worsened the current crisis, leading to significant infrastructure damage and worse food insecurity.
The Syrian conflict entered a stalemate in the last few years, with the front lines staying static. Occasional escalations still occur, however, mainly in northwest and northeast Syria. A cease-fire agreement between Russia and Turkey in the same month temporarily halted the fighting between government forces and other actors in northwestern Syria. However, since October 2023, casualties in northern Syria have increased as Turkey intensified their airstrikes on rebel-held territories. Fears of a regional conflict have also risen due to increased Israeli attacks on Syrian Army infrastructure since the war in Gaza.
The U.N. Deputy Relief Chief Joyce Msuya states that the continued infrastructure damage and internal displacement of Syrians have only increased the need for humanitarian aid in Syria. Unfortunately, the additional humanitarian demand has not resulted in more aid. In particular, food shortages and access to vital medical services remain a major problem. The World Food Programme, for example, has had to cut its food assistance from over 5 million to only 3 million people per month, leaving millions susceptible to hunger. To make matters worse, the Syrian government, along with its Russian ally, has made the delivery of aid into parts of the country more difficult by demanding that all aid flowing into the country first go through the capital of Damascus. The Syrian government has also been responsible for the large-scale theft of aid, in addition to preventing U.N. officials from assessing the humanitarian needs of the population.
The Current Situation
Today, Syria splits into four main areas of control. The Assad regime controls over 60% of the country’s territory, including key cities such as Damascus and Aleppo. Assad’s control allows him to manage the flow of aid to different parts of the country, including rebel-held areas. While fighting has mostly paused, the economic crisis has continued to place a heavy burden on Syrians. Inflation has soared, resulting in food insecurity and additional family debt. As of March 2024, over 90% of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line. However, a permanent political resolution to the conflict remains unlikely due to continued fighting in some areas, the multifaceted nature of the conflict, and the difficulty in reaching international consensus.
Despite the dire political situation, it is still crucial that humanitarian aid to Syria, especially food supplies, is not only increased but accessible to the people who need it most. Increased international pressure on the Assad regime needs to occur for the continued uninterrupted flow of aid. Since 2014, the U.N. has used the Bab al-Hawa crossing to deliver aid to millions in northwest Syria. Yet in mid-2023, Assad, supported by Russia, temporarily halted any aid deliveries through the vital passage, risking millions of lives. Although the Syrian government later allowed aid deliveries through the passage until July 2024, the future of access to this passage remains uncertain. Given the clear humanitarian importance of the passage, maintaining international pressure on the Syrian government remains essential to keep the crossing open and secure a new agreement.
Is Syria Being “Forgotten”?
The international community, including major powers like the U.S., has slowly started to accept the status quo in Syria and reduce direct involvement, such as the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops. Due to the war in Gaza, the current U.S. administration is shifting military priorities away, deeming Syria less strategically important. Meanwhile, regional players in the Middle East have already started normalizing relations with the Syrian government. The Arab League, for example, has already opened its arms to the Syrian president, a move which has served to further legitimize his regime in light of the ongoing conflict. Assad will likely continue to make diplomatic advances throughout the Middle East, gaining much-needed international support.
Several reasons contribute to the diminished attention and aid to Syria. According to Swedish author and Syria expert Aaron Lund, donor fatigue, the lingering effects of the pandemic, and the spread of international conflicts are all factors that come into play. Lund says that “aid to Syria is diminishing because attention is fading. Violence has decreased, it’s a largely stalemated conflict, and Syria is old news by now.” And as wealthy countries in the West continue to allocate their funds to other countries like Ukraine, aid for least-developed countries will continue to shrink.
The Case for Syrian Aid
A lack of aid and assistance to Syria could trigger another wave of destabilization in the region. The number of Syrian refugees to surrounding countries such as Lebanon and Jordan could rise drastically, putting massive pressure on the economies of Syria’s neighbours. If conditions continue to worsen in Syria, many may risk the dangerous journey to find refuge in Europe. In 2023, over 180,000 Syrians applied for asylum in Europe, a nearly 40% increase from 2022. As Adam Abdelmoula, a resident and humanitarian coordinator for Syria argues, “If increased resources are not provided because the Syrian people need them, then donor countries should provide them out of sheer national interest.” By aiding Syrians in their home country, European governments can avoid the economic strain of taking in more refugees.
Increased aid is also crucial to provoke further conflict and social unrest. The lack of funds and assistance has led to more ISIS recruits, as Desperate Syrian families send their children to serve for ISIS in exchange for a competitive monthly salary. The jihadist group has started to cement its presence in certain regions of the country, handing out recruitment leaflets and even attempting to collect taxes.
The economic crisis and lack of aid have also fueled drug trafficking, with the Assad regime running large-scale operations across the Middle East. The drug problem has already strained Syria’s relations with neighbours like Jordan, which began launching airstrikes on Syrian villages suspected of mass drug production in 2023. As Syria’s economy worsens, the risk of regional conflict and terrorism will only surge.
A Crisis That Demands Our Attention
Although the Syrian war will likely remain “unsolved” in the coming years, the humanitarian situation in Syria remains alarming, with nearly the entire population living in poverty. Food and medical supplies remain scarce. Yet, vital aid to Syria has only decreased recently due to factors such as donor fatigue and the rise of global conflicts.
Previous disputes over the delivery of aid throughout Syria have also raised concerns about the continued uninterrupted flow of aid into Syria. Russia, for example, chose to veto a U.N. vote to extend a key aid route in July 2023. These aid routes serve as a vital lifeline for many Syrians. It remains crucial that the international community pressure Assad and his allies not to use the threat of cutting aid as a political tool against the Syrian people.
Providing additional aid to Syria is not only a moral question, however, as the lack of aid to Syria has only served to heighten the risk of conflict in the region, fuel terrorist activity, and expand Syria’s transnational drug trade. Furthermore, if the lack of aid to Syria continues, it will be much harder for the international community to address the political and military crisis later on. Helping Syria economically through increased aid remains essential to progress toward peace and stability, ultimately creating opportunities for negotiation and compromise.
Edited by Light Naing and Majeed Malhas
