The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is deeply alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in southern Syria, and particularly in Sweida, where ongoing violence has resulted in high numbers of people killed or injured, severely disrupted access to essential services, and hindered the delivery of life-saving aid.

Over recent days, escalating violence has left communities cut off from humanitarian assistance, with desperate pleas reaching the ICRC from the population facing dire shortages of food, clean water, electricity and medical care. Health facilities are overwhelmed, medical supplies are dwindling, and power cuts are impeding the preservation of human remains in overflowing morgues.

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“The humanitarian situation in Sweida is critical. People are running out of everything. Hospitals are increasingly struggling to treat the wounded and the sick, and families are unable to bury their loved ones in dignity,” said Stephan Sakalian, the head of ICRC’s delegation in Syria.

“After sleepless nights gripped by fear, anxiety, and grief, people are yearning for the end of violence to restart moving freely, attend their most basic needs and check on loved ones” he said.

Since the start of the escalation, the ICRC has engaged with all actors to facilitate the delivery of critical assistance into Sweida. Our teams stand ready to move and respond to the most urgent needs immediately in the form of medical consumables, food, water, as well as to support in the dignified burial of the people who lost their lives in this violence. 

In Dara’a, the ICRC has delivered emergency medical supplies to the national hospital. In coordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) it has also distributed food, mattresses as well as medical aid to the displaced people. These efforts, however, remain insufficient and much more needs to be done.

The ICRC urgently reiterates its call to all actors to do their utmost to protect the population and for immediate, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for both the ICRC and the SARC. Humanitarian actors must be allowed to assess needs directly and deliver aid impartially to those who need it most.

“Every hour lost means more suffering for families and patients waiting for critical aid. They cannot wait any longer. For them and for us – every minute counts,” Sakalian said.