The UN has announced today that nearly a million people have been displaced in Syria during the first four months of 2018, the highest level in the seven-year conflict. CARE, which has been delivering aid inside Syria since 2013, has reacted to this announcement with the following statement:
Wouter Schaap, CARE’s Syria country director, said:
“This new figure is shocking, and shows that the war in Syria is far from being over. People are still fleeing bombings and shelling in bigger numbers than ever, and seeking protection and assistance far from home.
CARE and its partners inside the country have seen it firsthand this year, when tens of thousands of civilians had to leave their homes in the besieged areas of Eastern Ghouta and Northern Rural Homs to find refuge in overcrowded shelters. This displacement is compounding the dire humanitarian situation for millions of people in Syria
With little or no access to many displaced Syrians, aid organizations are struggling to meet the needs of men, women, and children who have left everything behind. We call on all warring parties to protect civilians, guarantee their freedom of movement, and facilitate their access to life saving aid.”
About CARE in Syria:
CARE has been providing aid in Syria since 2014, and has reached more than 3 million people so far. Our work is focused on food security, livelihoods, shelter, water and sanitation, and psychosocial support for people in crisis. We also work in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey with Syrian refugees and host communities.
For more of our work in Syria, click here.