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Syria – Ceasefire and humanitarian situation

- ECHO Daily flash of 30/12/2016

On 29 December, the Russian government announced that a ceasefire agreement had been reached between the government of Syria and armed groups (AGs). The countrywide ceasefire entered into effect at 00:00 hours local time today. According to a statement by the Syrian army, the ceasefire agreement excludes ISIL, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (former Jabhat al-Nusra) and any other group affiliated with them. The ceasefire agreement will be followed by peace talks between the Syrian government and the opposition to be held in Kazakhstan. The UN Special Envoy for Syria welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire in the hope that the agreement will save civilian lives and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country. At the time of this report, the agreement appears to be largely holding despite reports of localized clashes in rural Hama.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations continue working to assist IDPs affected by the conflict in Aleppo city. The UN and NGOs report that more than 111 000 persons have been displaced from east Aleppo neighbourhoods since 24 November; of whom 74 951 were displaced to Government-controlled areas in and around Aleppo city, and over 36 086 people spread around 128 AG-controlled locations in Idleb and rural Aleppo. Where conditions allow, some families have started to return to their homes in east Aleppo. UN and NGO humanitarian workers have been granted access to these areas and needs assessments are being carried out. Urgent needs are widespread especially in terms of shelter, winter clothing, heaters and fuel, and protection assistance. In parallel, families evacuated from the towns of Fo’ah and Kefrayeh, part of the east Aleppo agreement, have been transferred to Homs and Lattakia where they are receiving humanitarian assistance.
In Damascus city, about 4 million people have been cut off from the main water supply since 22 December. According to the UN, deliberate targeting during fighting and air bombardment in the past weeks caused severe damage to the primary sources of drinking water in Wadi Barada and Ein-el-Fijeh south of the capital. Authorities have started rationing and water distribution, but people in the Damascus outskirts have to buy water from private vendors at unregulated prices and untested water quality.