Syrian Arab Republic: Cross-Border Humanitarian Reach and Activities from Turkey (August 2021)
CONTEXT
Daily artillery shelling and occasional airstrikes took place across north-west Syria in August, especially south of the M4 highway and around the M5 highway. Some incidents resulted in civilian casualties. Explosive hazards added to the civilian injuries.
Around 31,081 displacements were tracked in October. Idleb and Afrin sub-districts recorded the highest number of departures, some 4,000 people left Idleb and over 3,500 people left Afrin. Bulbul and Raju sub-districts received the highest number of arrivals, each receiving over 2,500 people.
Towards the end of the month, COVID-19 cases started to increase significantly, straining health services across north-west Syria. 12,839 new cases were recorded in August, marking a sharp increase compared to 771 new cases that were recorded in July. The PCR positivity rate has also been significantly high, fluctuating between 40 – 50 per cent.
The value of the Syrian Pound (SYP) against the US dollar (USD) in August remained stable. Nevertheless, the SYP remained weak and was a cause of high prices of goods and services. The economic crisis continues to drive humanitarian needs.