As Syria's civil war marks its 14th year, violence is on the rise in various parts of the country, despite the conflict being overshadowed by other global crises. The war, which began in 2011 as peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad's government, has since claimed nearly half a million lives and displaced millions of Syrians.
In the opposition-held village of al-Nayrab in Idlib, Ali al-Ahmad struggles to survive in his partially destroyed home, frequently forced to flee to displacement camps due to ongoing shelling by government forces. The recent surge in violence has been described as the worst since 2020 by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria.
The conflict has been further complicated by the involvement of foreign powers, with Russia and Iran supporting Assad's government, Turkey backing Syrian opposition groups, and the United States aiding Syrian Kurdish forces. Israel has also conducted airstrikes targeting Hezbollah and Iranian forces in Syria.
The recent escalation in violence includes a drone strike in Homs, bombardment of northwest Syria, Israeli strikes on Iran-linked targets, Turkish attacks on Kurdish forces, and sporadic attacks by IS sleeper cells. Unrest has also been reported in opposition-held areas, with protests against the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.
The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire, with millions in need of assistance. The U.N.'s humanitarian response plan for 2023 received only 38% of the funds requested, leaving 4.2 million people in northwest Syria, including 2 million children, in urgent need of aid. The devastating earthquake in February 2023 further exacerbated the crisis, claiming thousands of lives in Syria and Turkey.
United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations are struggling to provide essential aid in Syria, citing donor fatigue, the COVID-19 pandemic, and conflicts in other regions as challenges. The World Food Program announced plans to halt its main assistance program in Syria by 2024, highlighting the urgent need for sustained international support to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria.
