Displaced Syrians Fear for Future as World Food Programme Ends Aid
Displaced people living in camps in northeast Syria are expressing deep concerns about their future following the announcement by the World Food Programme (WFP) that it will be ending food assistance across the war-torn country. This decision has raised fears that the already dire situation will worsen, leading to increased suffering and even starvation for those affected.
Ali Farahat, the director of the Maram camp for the displaced in the town of Atme near the border with Turkey, stated, “Stopping aid to the camps will exponentially increase suffering.” He further added, “Some have told me ‘if aid stops, we will die of hunger’.” These sentiments reflect the desperation and vulnerability felt by those who heavily rely on food assistance to survive.
In a statement issued on Monday, the WFP expressed regret over the lack of funding that has led to this decision. The United Nations’ food aid agency clarified that while general food assistance will cease in January 2024, it will continue to support families affected by emergency situations and natural disasters through smaller and more targeted emergency response interventions. The agency cited global funding challenges as the primary reason behind this difficult decision.
Insufficient funds have been an ongoing issue for the WFP, with the organization warning in September that it was forced to reduce assistance in various parts of the world, pushing an estimated 24 million people to the brink of famine. In July, 45 percent of aid recipients in Syria had their assistance cut. The WFP emphasized that its activities are scalable and can be adjusted based on available resources and needs.
The impact of this decision is expected to be particularly severe for the approximately three million people living in areas controlled by the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) militant group in Idlib province. Half of these individuals reside in displacement camps, while others live in abandoned buildings, caves, or even old buses. These camps are often overcrowded and lack basic necessities, with residents heavily dependent on international organizations for food, medical aid, and other essential supplies.
Among the camps in northeastern Syria, Maram in Atme is likely to be one of the hardest hit by the WFP’s decision. As the news broke, residents of Maram were seen queuing up to receive some of the last aid rations of the year. Ahmed Adla, who was displaced 11 years ago from the village of Kurin in Idlib’s countryside, expressed his concerns, stating, “Stopping assistance will lead to the death of those who subsisted on them because they don’t have money to buy food.” Khaled Al-Masri, who was displaced nearly 13 years ago from the nearby village of Hass along with his 11 family members, pleaded for attention to their dire conditions, saying, “I hope they come to see our conditions and how we spend the winter. We can’t keep our children warm.”
The end of food assistance from the WFP is undoubtedly a devastating blow to the already vulnerable population in Syria. The international community must step up its efforts to provide the necessary funding and support to ensure that these displaced individuals do not suffer further and are able to access the basic necessities they need to survive. Failure to do so will only exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis and lead to unimaginable consequences for those affected.