Syria emergency
Syria emergency
Before these dramatic events, over 13 million people remained displaced inside Syria and in neighbouring countries following more than 13 years of crisis. Since the start of the offensive, around 1 million people – mostly women and children – were newly displaced. Following the government’s overthrow, thousands of Syrians have spontaneously returned to the country from Lebanon and Türkiye, while others have fled in the other direction. They are among millions of Syrians across the region who require UNHCR’s assistance.
people in need of humanitarian and protection assistance in Syria
internally displaced people
Syrian refugees registered in neighbouring countries: Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt
Visit the Data Portal for more statistics
UNHCR stands ready to support Syrians wherever they are. We urge all parties to act now to ensure this moment becomes a turning point toward hope, recovery, and lasting peace and stability for the Syrian people.
What is happening in Syria and in neighbouring countries?
The situation inside Syria remains volatile and uncertain, with the UN Secretary-General and UNHCR among those calling for a peaceful and orderly transition of power. Millions of displaced Syrians inside the country and across the region are watching developments before making a decision on whether to return home.
Before the overthrow of the government, more than 13 years of crisis had already driven humanitarian needs inside Syria to record levels amid widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure and economic collapse. Intensified Israeli attacks on neighbouring Lebanon since October 2024 forced hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and Lebanese to cross the border into Syria, worsening an already desperate situation.
Across the region, dwindling international support has driven millions of Syrian refugees into extreme poverty and placed huge strain on the countries and communities that have generously hosted them for more than a decade, mainly in Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
What is UNHCR doing to help?
UNHCR remains on the ground in Syria and is committed to staying and delivering. In areas where the security situation is stable, UNHCR is resuming activities to reach those in most need.
Across Syria, as part of the inter-agency response, UNHCR is tracking displacement, identifying the number and locations of displaced people, assessing needs in hosting centres and delivering essential support, including food, water, dignity kits, household items and in-kind medical assistance.
UNHCR-supported community centres have reopened in Aleppo city and continue to offer assistance in other areas, providing health services, counselling and case management activities, as well as referring individuals in need to available food, relief items and other humanitarian support within the community.
We also continue to provide life-saving humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, helping the most vulnerable with cash for medicine and other basic necessities, stoves and fuel for heating, insulation for tents, thermal blankets and winter clothing.
To ensure a coordinated response in the main refugee-hosting countries, UNHCR co-leads, with UNDP, the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), coordinating the work of more than 270 partners in support of national efforts in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye.
But at a crucial moment for Syria and the wider region, more international support is urgently needed to ensure that millions who have suffered for so long receive the help they urgently need. We call on donors to ensure that UNHCR and its partners have the resources to respond swiftly and effectively, including in neighbouring countries still hosting millions of refugees.
To find out more about our work in Syria, please visit the UNHCR Syria website.
Are you a refugee or asylum-seeker? Find information about your rights and available services on our HELP site.
Are you looking for data on displacement in Syria? Visit the UNHCR data portal for the latest data and statistics on refugees and other displaced persons.
For information on UNHCR's operational response, budgets and funding, please visit the Syria situation page on Global Focus.
