16 Million Need Urgent Aid in Syria

Around 16 million people in Syria are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance as the country’s prolonged crisis continues to deepen, Syrian experts and analysts said, warning of worsening living conditions and shrinking international support.

Analysts said the humanitarian emergency persists due to the cumulative impact of years of war, which devastated infrastructure and vital sectors, alongside a sharp decline in international aid amid widening regional and global conflicts.

In comments to the Emirati daily Al Ittihad, experts said millions of Syrians remain in desperate need of food, healthcare and shelter, as poverty rates rise and food insecurity continues across large parts of the country.

According to estimates by the United Nations, roughly 16 million people inside Syria require immediate humanitarian assistance, including access to food, housing and medical care, with millions living below the poverty line.

Syrian economic researcher Khorshid Alika said the ongoing humanitarian crisis is primarily driven by the absence of a comprehensive political solution that addresses the aspirations of all segments of Syrian society. He said prolonged instability has had a direct impact on the economy, pushing unemployment higher and slowing production, which has further deepened the crisis.

Alika added that many donor countries and organizations have suspended or significantly reduced aid to conflict zones, intensifying the humanitarian emergency and weakening Syria’s ability to recover. He noted that the repercussions of the Ukraine crisis and rising regional tensions have prompted numerous humanitarian and relief agencies to halt or scale back operations in Syria.

Humanitarian groups continue to warn that without renewed international engagement and sustained funding, millions of Syrians will remain at risk as the crisis shows no sign of easing.