UNICEF's Humanitarian Situation Report published on February 6 in Syria revealed that the organization reached over 12.5 million people in 2022, including 3.9 million boys and 4.3 million girls in need of humanitarian assistance.

Families in the most severely affected and inaccessible areas were prioritized; 220,000 people (or 45% of this population) were reached there, and 4.4 million people were reached in areas with moderate access, according to the report. 

According to Humanitarian Action for Children, UNICEF needed $334,430,071 to save the lives of 9.1 million people in Syria in 2022, including 5.5 million children. The total amount that has been made available so far is $170,561,851, leaving a 51% gap.

Situation overview

War-torn Syria is suffering from the US sanctions that have played a major role in deteriorating the country's social and economic situation. Syria was plagued with a Cholera and COVID-19 outbreak, along with a socio-economic crisis. It is crucial to mention the US's role in hurting the economy by looting Syrian oil, causing both direct and indirect losses to the tune of tens of billions of dollars.

In response, UNICEF announced it led the Water and Sanitation, Education, Nutrition Sectors/Clusters, and the Child Protection Area of Responsibility as well as the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Group and Risk Education Working Group. 

Cholera outbreak

By the end of the year, there had been a reported 70,220 cases of cholera outbreak.

UNICEF revealed it had procured 2 million doses of oral cholera vaccine used to vaccinate 1.9 million people in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zour, Al-Hasakeh, and Raqqa as well as providing supplies to 52 treatment centers to treat 11,700 severe cholera cases.

The cholera outbreak was declared on September 10. It quickly spread throughout the nation, endangering children, particularly those living in densely populated areas. By the end of the year, 70,220 cases had been reported throughout Syria.

The widespread destruction of water and sewage systems, power outages, a protracted drought, and population shifts, largely because of the war on Syria, are all linked to the outbreak.

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COVID-19 outbreak

According to the UNICEF report, 200,776 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 7,246 fatalities, have been reported in Syria since the start of the outbreak.

In addition, 39,258 cases from northeast Syria and 104,160 cases from northwest Syria were reported among these cases.

Socio-economic crisis

A recent report revealed that in northern and eastern Syria, food and water security are in danger due to Turkey's weaponization of the Euphrates river waters. The report underscored that "the plummeting level of the Euphrates, Syria’s longest river and one of the longest in the world, is causing power outages and water shortages in a region where agriculture is the main source of income."

A new report by the New Internationalist details how in northern and eastern #Syria, food and water security are in danger due to #Turkey's weaponization of the #Euphrates river waters. pic.twitter.com/fdVMDgDIJz

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 4, 2023

According to the New Internationalist, the Euphrates river originates in Turkey, which controls nearly 90% of its water flow. The river runs through Syria toward Iraq and is the main supplier of water for farming and electricity production.

Read next: US occupation cost oil sector losses worth $111.9bln: Syrian FM

Earlier last month, the US occupation forces continued to steal Syrian oil, as they took tankers filled with oil stolen from the fields of Al-Hasakah countryside and transported them to their bases in Iraq.

The statement clarified that the direct losses are comprised of "19.8 billion US dollars of looting oil, gas, and mineral resources, 3.3 billion US dollars resulting from vandalizing and ransacking of facilities. 2.9 billion US dollars the value of damages caused to the oil and gas installations by the so-called 'international coalition' bombing of these installations."

Alouk Water Station

The UNICEF report also discusses the Alouk water station in Syria, which was out of service for 128 days in 2022, with 54 days of only partial service.

Since the end of 2019, these interruptions have caused over 460,000 people in Al Hasakah City and the surrounding areas to experience intermittent access to clean drinking water, in addition to a further 500,000 people in NE Syria.

Al-Bab water station

In 2017, the Ein El Bayda water station ceased operations, affecting 148,000 residents of the Al-Bab Sub-District's ability to access water.

According to the report, UNICEF supports operations and maintenance for the 17 low-yield boreholes that are present in the area, but they only provide 35 liters of water per person per day. Additionally, UNICEF put in another borehole.

Most families need to supplement their water through unsafe water trucking. 

All hands on Turkey, no hands for Syria

In light of the recent catastrophe that befell Turkey and Syria, several Western countries mobilized rapidly to send aid and rescue workers to Turkey, but decided to exclude Syria and neglect it, by only offering condolences and merely expressing readiness to support the affected Syrians, with nothing done on the ground, in a clear show of double standards.

The countries that participated in the war on Syria and caused the social and economic disaster it is currently experiencing currently refuse to assist the nation during its difficult times.