International failure in northwest Syria: humanitarian health catastrophe demands action

Abstract

The 9-year conflict in Syria has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our generation, with more than 11·7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria, 11·3 million in need of health assistance, and 6·2 million internally displaced within Syria. 1 UNHCRSyria Operational Update, January–May 2019. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/UNHCR%20Syria%27s%20Operational%20update%20May%202019.pdfDate: 2019 Date accessed: July 1, 2019 Google Scholar In one of the worst onslaughts of the conflict to date, Syrian Government and Russian forces have intensified their ground shelling and airstrikes in northwest Syria since early April, 2019. This area contains an estimated 3 million people of whom 1·3 million are internally displaced people, 2 UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSyria: situation report 1: recent developments in Northwestern Syria (as of May 10, 2019). https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/syria-situation-report-1-recent-developments-north-western-syria-10-mayDate: 2019 Date accessed: July 1, 2019 Google Scholar who have already been displaced from other parts of Syria such as Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta by previous government offensives; the most severely affected area is in the southernmost part of the demilitarised zone of Idlib province. To date, 380 casualties, including 91 children, have been reported in Idlib; with 27 deaths, including 11 children, in just 1 day on June 10, 2019. 3 Studer S 27 civilians killed in Assad-Putin airstrikes in Syria's Idlib region. Action on Armed Violence. https://aoav.org.uk/2019/27-civilians-killed-in-assad-putin-airstrikes-in-syrias-idlib-region/Date: June 11, 2019 Date accessed: June 27, 2019 Google Scholar These attacks echo prior campaigns by government forces to retake territory through inflicting a heavy civilian price. 4 Jabbour S Fouad FM Leaning J et al. Death and suffering in Eastern Ghouta, Syria: a call for action to protect civilians and health care. Lancet. 2018; 391: 815-817 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar However, this offensive is even more catastrophic as civilians are trapped between the closed Turkish border and are unable to return to other parts of Syria with guarantees of their safety. On June 27, 2019, 11 humanitarian organisations warned of the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib, with 3 million lives in danger, including 1 million children. 5 UN NewsSyria's Idlib “on the brink” of a nightmare, humanitarian chiefs warn, launching global solidarity campaign. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/06/1041471Date: June 27, 2019 Date accessed: July 1, 2019 Google Scholar