Critical funding shortfalls are forcing the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to significantly scale back its operations in Syria. WFP has reduced its emergency food assistance by 50 percent, from 1.3 million people to 650,000 in May, and halted a nationwide bread subsidy programme that has supported millions daily.
Authorities have reported some 3,000 human casualties, and some 6,000 people injured as well as almost 60,000 houses destroyed or damaged in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Schools, health facilities and other public amenities have also suffered severe damage.
Between 1 February and 31 March 2026, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 494 Palestinians killed and at least 489 injured in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire in place since 10 October 2025.
In 2025, the MENA region faced overlapping crises including conflict, displacement, economic collapse, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks, placing children at risk and disrupting access to services.
As of 31 December, over 1.3 million Syrians have returned back home since December 2024, with more than 3.7 million registered Syrian refugees continuing to reside in host countries in the region.
This year, the International Day of Mine Awareness on April 4th serves as a reminder of the need to invest in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) and the importance of clearing land of explosive threats, enabling communities to live safely while investing in their resources.
As the Syrian Arab Republic (hereafter referred to as Syria) enters a new year, the impact of the shift in power over a year ago (8 December 2024) continues to shape the country.
The cost of living continues to outpace income growth; despite policy measures seeking to enhance purchasing power, current wage levels meet only around one‑third of basic household needs.
In Gaza, restrictions on aid operations mounted as crossing closures were accompanied by the suspension of humanitarian movement coordination, medical evacuations, returns of residents from abroad, and staff rotations. The closure of the crossings drove up prices and increased reliance on humanitarian assistance.
The UN estimates that in 2026, 16.5 million people across Syria need humanitarian assistance. Since the political transition in December 2024 until the end of January 2026, over 1.3 million Syrians have returned home from countries of asylum.
In 2025, Yemen’s displacement crisis continued to deepen rather than stabilize, layered on top of a decade-long emergency that has eroded services, livelihoods, and coping capacity. For millions of families, displacement was not a temporary disruption, but an ongoing reality shaped by rising poverty and weakened systems.
Following the opening of new prospects for voluntary returns to Syria at the end of 2024, the General Security Office (GSO) waived administrative fines and the re-entry ban for refugees returning to Syria as of 1 July 2025, and UNHCR launched its facilitated Voluntary Return (VolRep) programme.
The situation in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa governorates has largely stabilized in recent days, following the agreement announced on 30 January 2026. Active hostilities have subsided, bringing a greater sense of calm, even as localized incidents, precautionary security measures, and community concerns persist in many areas.
After more than a decade of displacement, around 3 million displaced Syrians inside and outside the country were able to return home. In 2025 alone, around 179,000 people returned to Syria from Jordan and around 500,000 from Lebanon.
On 11 January, a ceasefire agreement was announced, following which initial, limited return movements were observed, particularly to the Ashrafiyeh neighbourhood. Returns to Ash-Sheikh Maqsoud remain gradual, pending authorization and completion of UXO clearance.
Since 6 January, clashes in Aleppo Governorate have continued between government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). As of 10 January, the Aleppo Health Directorate reported a total of 23 deaths and 104 injuries.
After more than a decade of conflict, Yemen remains one of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises. The country continues to face the compounded impacts of conflict, climate change, economic collapse, and the near-total breakdown of public services and institutions.
Over 1.9 million internally displaced persons and close to 1.3 million Syrian refugees have returned to their areas of origin or other locations across Syria. Around 57 per cent of the returnees are children.
To support efforts toward durable solutions, this report examines the situation in communities where returns are already taking place, shedding light on the conditions, needs, and risks confronting returnees.
Children in the Syrian Arab Republic continue to face significant vulnerabilities after 14 years of conflict. Despite renewed engagement following the change in authorities in late 2024, humanitarian needs are rising due to large-scale returns, economic decline, climate shocks and damaged infrastructure.
