This research was conducted prior to the collapse of the former Government of Syria (GoS) on 8 December 2024 and the emergence of the transitional government and thus, some security-related barriers to civil documents, such as security risks tied to the former government (including fears of mandatory service or arrest if found with civil documents issued by the former Syrian Salvation Government-SSG) no longer remain.
By 15 May 2025, around 156,000 Syrians returned to Syria from or via Lebanon. Given the significant changes in the Syria context, UNHCR, in close collaboration with the authorities, began designing programmes to support refugees who express an interest in returning, including “Go and See” visits.
A US air strike on a migrant detention centre in Sa’ada, north-western Yemen on 28 April killed and injured dozens of migrants and must be investigated as a violation of international humanitarian law, said Amnesty International today, amid reports that hundreds of people have been killed and injured as a result of US air strikes on Yemen since March 2025.
Israel has intensified its genocidal campaign in Gaza through one of the most extensive and lethal assaults since the beginning of its offensive, committing massacres and adopting a scorched-earth policy involving the total destruction of remaining neighbourhoods and infrastructure.
Seven weeks on, the impacts of the 28 March earthquakes in central Myanmar continue to drive significant humanitarian needs, both for immediate relief and early recovery.
As of 15 May 2025, UNHCR estimates that over half a million – 501,126 – Syrians have crossed back to Syria via neighboring countries since 8 December 2024. This brings up the total of 861,966 Syrian individuals that have returned to Syria since the beginning of 2024.
The Israeli government’s plan to demolish what remains of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure and concentrate the Palestinian population into a tiny area would amount to an abhorrent escalation of its ongoing crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and acts of genocide, Human Rights Watch said today.
The deployment of armed Ugandan soldiers and military equipment to South Sudan since 11 March 2025 flagrantly violates the arms embargo, Amnesty International said today, ahead of this month’s UN Security Council vote on the embargo’s renewal.
Syrian National Army (SNA) factions that fought the Assad government with backing from Türkiye continue to detain, mistreat, and extort civilians in northern Syria, Human Rights Watch said today.
In April 2025, Shelter Cluster hubs across Yemen navigated complex challenges, including escalating displacement, recurrent evictions, and climate-related risks. Key achievements included infrastructure improvements, distributions of emergency shelter and non-food items (NFIs), and progress on transitional shelter projects.
More than 93% of the children in Gaza – about 930,000 children – are at critical risk of famine, said Save the Children, as new data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the leading international authority measuring hunger crises, reveals a spiraling hunger catastrophe.
As of March 2025, 12.8 million people have been forcibly displaced, including over 8.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 3.7 million refugees, asylum seekers, and returnees who have crossed into neighboring countries.
As of 8 May 2025, UNHCR estimates that some 481,730 Syrians have crossed back to Syria via neighboring countries since 8 December 2024. This brings up the total of over 842,570 Syrian individuals that have returned to Syria since the beginning of 2024.
OCHA access teams continue to work on strengthening joint analysis and advocacy for improved humanitarian access in northeast Syria. Building on the January access snapshots for Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, and Deir-ez-Zor, partners aim to produce updated monthly snapshots and register incidents through OCHA’s new Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework.
Since 18 March 2025, Israeli forces have escalated bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip and expanded ground operations. This has resulted in hundreds of casualties, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and large-scale displacement.
At least 33 people were killed and dozens injured, according to the Ministry of Health, after airstrikes hit Gaza City today, just metres from an MSF clinic.
The All Girls Foundation for Development (AGF) launched a bold initiative to reach some of the most remote communities in the country. With support from the Yemen Humanitarian Fund,AGF rehabilitated and expanded four public schools in Al-Jafariyah, a district perched among the highest peaks of Raymah Governorate – including Al-Siddiq school.
The ongoing freeze by the United Kingdom and European Union countries on 10s of thousands of Syrian asylum applications is deeply concerning. The freeze, carried out without individual assessments, constitutes a violation of international law—particularly the principle of non-refoulement—given the current absence of safe and dignified conditions for return to Syria.
Food-related violence continued to be reported in Sudan between 1 January and 31 March 2025 in addition to the blockading of essential food supplies from urban areas, most notably in El Fasher. This briefing provides an overview of the most frequently reported forms of food violence over this period.
