HIGHLIGHTS
- While the ceasefire in As-Sweida has largely held, sporadic clashes and alarming reports of abuses, including killings, abductions, and attacks on civilians, continue to underscore the fragile security environment.
- As of 19 August, IDP Taskforce reports that around 184,000 people have been displaced from As-Sweida, 63 per cent of them remain within the governorate, and the rest settle in Dar’a and Rural Damascus. Also, 13,800 IDPs returned to their hometowns, almost 83 per cent returned from Dar’a and 17 per cent returned from As-Sweida*.
- Essential services in As-Sweida remain severely disrupted, with 98 wells out of service, widespread infrastructure damage, and children facing heightened protection risks and prolonged education interruptions.
- The UN RC/HC led an inter-agency mission to As-Sweida, engaging with affected communities and local authorities to assess urgent needs across health, water, electricity, and education sectors.
- Between 20 July and 21 August, 14 humanitarian convoys reached As-Sweida, delivering life-saving assistance to over 314,000 people, including food, medical supplies, and essential household items.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
While the ceasefire in As-Sweida has largely held, sporadic clashes continue to be reported. Alarming accounts of abuses committed during earlier fighting, including killings, abductions, and attacks on civilians, continue to emerge, underscoring the fragile security environment. The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher underscored during his briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria on 21 August, that there is a need for better humanitarian and commercial access and safety. Aid convoys have come under fire in August and there have been attacks on health facilities, medics, ambulances. The ERC stressed the protection and freedom of movement of civilians, humanitarian workers, and medical missions.
Between 14 and 20 August, a series of security incidents took place across As-Sweida and Dar’a governorates. An improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in Mzeireb town in Dar’a, causing significant material damage. Between 15 and 16 August, two crime-related incidents in Dar’a resulted in two civilian fatalities and one injury. Concurrently, tribal factions in western As-Sweida countryside launched sustained machine-gun attacks on the towns of Ariqa, Majdal, and Nijran, further exacerbating insecurity in the governorate.
At the national level, OCHA is strengthening the collaboration with the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management. At the sub-national level, OCHA, in collaboration with the humanitarian partners maintains a high level of operational coordination with the local authorities and the designated government bodies, to facilitate the delivery of assistance and access, as well as to mobilize resources
For more information:
Anastasya Kahala Atassi, Public Information Officer, OCHA – E-mail: anastasya.atassi@un.org
Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian Response in Southern Syria – Situation Report No. 2 (as of 06 October 2025)
HIGHLIGHTS
- The security situation across southern Syria remains unpredictable, with ongoing incidents contributing to instability in rural areas, affecting civilian safety and mobility.
- Over 7,400 IDPs were further displaced from school-based shelters in Dar’a and As-Sweida due to the evacuation of 67 schools (32 in Dar’a and 35 in As-Sweida).
- Between 20 July and 6 October, 47 humanitarian convoys reached As-Sweida, delivering life-saving assistance including food, medical supplies, fuel, flour, and essential household items.
- Approximately 419,300 people across 223 communities were reached with humanitarian assistance on average in July, August, and September. More than 64 per cent of the reach was in As-Sweida.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
The security situation across southern Syria remains unpredictable, with ongoing incidents contributing to instability in rural areas. Recent weeks have seen localized tensions, including armed clashes, criminal activity, Explosive Ordinance (EO) explosions and disruptions affecting civilian safety and mobility. In Dar’a and Quneitra, temporary military presence and aerial activity have been reported, alongside inspections and movement restrictions in some communities. In As-Sweida, sporadic armed incidents and community-level disputes have further highlighted the fragile security environment. These developments continue to impact humanitarian access and the protection of affected populations. In Hrak in Dar’a Governorate, two displaced children from As-Sweida were killed when they came in contact with a landmine.
Between 4 and 27 September, approximately 7,445 IDPs (1,861 households) were further displaced from school-based shelters in Dar’a and As-Sweida, 96 per cent were displaced again from Dar’a to As-Sweida, Rural Damascus and within Dar’a itself the rest four per cent were relocated from As-Sweida to Sayyeda Zeinab in Rural Damascus due to limited or insufficient access to humanitarian assistance. The primary driver of the displacements was the evacuation from schools, accounting for 94 per cent of movements, to accommodate the start of the academic year, forcing hundreds of families to vacate temporary shelters previously hosted in school buildings.
Between 23 September and 6 October 2025, humanitarian access to As-Sweida remained functional yet constrained by logistical and security factors. Only five humanitarian convoys reached the governorate during this period, facilitated by SARC in coordination with multiple partners. Deliveries included UNHCR core relief items (blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and dignity kits), WHO medical and health supplies, and UNICEF education and recreational materials. The ICRC provided two oxygen generators to Salkhad Hospital and a power generator to the Water Directorate, while INGOs and local donors contributed hygiene and food baskets.
Disclaimer
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsTo learn more about OCHA’s activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.
