High Level Group on Humanitarian Challenges in

Weekly Reporting: 9 January 2014

This first informal update provides an overview of key developments related to Priority Area One: Access to Besieged Areas, since the High Level Group meeting of 19/12/2013. It is organized according to the 2 Objectives defined in the Follow-up matrix circulated to members of the High Level Group 04/12/2013.

Priority 1: Access to Besieged Areas Objective 1: Negotiate humanitarian pauses in priority areas Updates: (as of 9 Jan 2014)(see attached map)

• Old City of : On 3 January 2014, SARC and the local Reconciliation Committee negotiated a ceasefire amongst the parties to the conflict to evacuate 3 out of 4 identified sick and elderly citizens from Old City of Homs. Following conclusion of the evacuation, the parties to the conflict resumed fighting. A month-long discussion between the Local Reconciliation Committee and the 'military council' of the armed opposition groups facilitated the ceasefire agreement enabling the evacuation of the 3 elderly persons. Upon the successful evacuation the fighting resumed. A joint humanitarian convoy that has been approved by the Governor of Homs is on hold due to fighting.

• Madamiyet al Sham, Rural : On 24 December, the Government of Syria declared a preliminary truce which included a humanitarian pause. SARC confirmed 10 trucks, 3 of which carried WFP food rations, dispatched food inside the town but no further humanitarian access has been gained while the terms of the truce are being implemented. The provision of aid for Mohadamya was conditioned upon a number of steps on the part of those besieged, including the surrendering of heavy weapons by AoGs and the raising of government flags. 5000 people are reported to remain inside Mohadamya. As of 2 January 2014, according to Government of Syria-affiliated social media pages, the military agreement remains upheld and the Government now promises to fix the electricity and water networks and to allow all people to return to their homes after clearing the town of mines and ERW. A convoy is currently being planned and Note Verbale is being submitted to MOFA.

• Zahra and Nubl (): Armed Opposition Groups engaged by humanitarian actors to negotiate access stipulated that access could only be granted after it had been granted to the besieged areas of Mohadamya and East Goutha. Current fighting between ISIS and other AoGs creates an additional security challenge.

Priority 1: Access to Besieged Areas Objective 2 : Negotiate humanitarian access to, and evacuation of civilians from, besieged areas, including ensuring that medical, surgical and reproductive health supplies, are allowed into all besieged areas Updates: (as of 9 Jan 2014)

Old City of Homs: The Governor of Homs has provided written approval to move assistance into Old Homs but the operation is complex as the area remains under siege. The opposition provided a signed invitation to access the Old City (22 October 2013) with a clear statement that safety of humanitarian personnel entering would be guaranteed. The letter also included a request for immediate assistance across all the sectors given the huge humanitarian needs of civilians remaining inside. The Humanitarian Coordinator is working with the Office of the Joint Syria Representative and has established contacts with actors on the ground to negotiate access.

• Yarmouk Camp, Damascus: Negotiations on a ceasefire on Yarmouk have not progressed. The camp has been inaccessible since 15 July, with the exception of one vaccination team in December. On 8 January up to 70 families have left the camp in recent days. A UN convoy is being organised and is provisionally scheduled for 19 January. On 8th January, SARC reported that first aid teams had failed to evacuate the wounded and sick from Yarmouk camp due to unsafe situation that prevailed. SARC urged all parties to facilitate the evacuation of the wounded and sick and allow SARC to bring aid to civilians under siege inside the camp.

• Other Besieged Areas: No progress to report.

High Level Group on Humanitarian Challenges in Syria

Weekly Reporting: 9 January 2014

This first informal update provides an overview of key developments related to Priority Area Two: Access to Hard to Reach Areas, since the High Level Group meeting of 19/12/2013. It is organized according to the 4 Objectives defined in the Follow-up matrix circulated to members of the High Level Group 04/12/2013.

Priority 2: Hard to Reach Areas Objective 1: Negotiate humanitarian pauses in priority areas Updates: (as of 9 Jan 2014)

• Adra, Rural Damascus: Following a week of resumed fighting between the Government of Syria and armed non-state groups, on 29 December 2013, the reported in the media that they evacuated 5,000 civilians from an area in Adra which had been sealed off by fighting. Community members indicated that the parties to the conflict agreed to stop fighting and allow civilians to move through opposition checkpoints and walk across the contested area to the Government checkpoints. As all evacuees were required to present identification cards to secure evacuation, there are unconfirmed reports that some people were arrested upon presentation of their identification cards.

• As of 5 January 2014, SARC indicates an estimated 20,000 civilians have successfully moved from the area surrounded by fighting to a different area of town, Adra Umeliyeh, Damascus and Rural Damascus. Reports indicate that approximately 10,000 of these people have moved into locations with inadequate shelter. Roughly 5,000 are in the cement factory and the driving school building, which does not have suitable living conditions, and roughly 5,000 in Al Wafideen camp, which already has many IDPs and also suffers from poor conditions. The remaining civilians reportedly moved to Damascus and other areas in rural Damascus where they have relatives. On 7 January 2014 SARC reported that a humanitarian response had been provided in Adra including providing support to enable the evacuation of civilians.

• The stream of evacuees has declined to hundreds per day as the security situation is deteriorating. Currently, the displaced are being directed to: Dwier; Hafier Foua'a/Hafier Tahta; Al-Dumair; the driving school and cement factory; and Al-Tal City.

• Al Wa'er neighbourhood, Homs City, Homs: As of 25 December, truce negotiations continued to progress with 25 out of 43 armed non-state groups operating in Al Wa’er in agreement with the truce conditions. However starting from the beginning of January intermittent shelling on the area by GoS forces resume, particularly at night. Snipers from AOGs have also been using high buildings in the area to fire upon the neighbouring village considered “loyal” to GoF. Movement of civilians is allowed only for employees and students, and only during daylight hours. Restrictions on movement include also food supplies, which are allowed only in very small quantities, causing a huge increase of prices.

• Berzeh, Damascus: Government forces have prevented access to the opposition-controlled area in Barzeh since March 2013. The protracted armed conflict in the neighbourhood has substantially damaged infrastructure. Currently one medical point is operational. Children in Berzeh were not covered by the recent vaccination campaign. SARC branch is no longer operational due to the conflict.

• Jobar and Qaboun neighbourhood of Damascus are in a similar situation to that of Berzeh. .

• On 5 January various media sources reported that a new agreement was reached in Barzeh neighbourhood of Damascus city. The agreement is reported to be between the GoS forces and the FSA and the parties have reportedly agreed to : 1. Re-open roads to the neighbourhood 2. Exchange detainees 3. Allow food and life supplies into the neighbourhood 4. Repair water and electricity networks and allow people return to their houses. 5. Allow GoS army to enter the neighbourhood and clear the neighbourhood of ERWs.

• To date, there is no independent confirmation on the truce on the ground.

Priority 2: Hard to Reach Areas Objective 2: Reach agreement with the parties on key humanitarian routes

No progress to report.

Priority 2: Hard to Reach Areas Objective 3: Negotiate humanitarian access and increase distribution of humanitarian assistance to hard to reach areas Updates: (as of 9 Jan 2014)(see attached map)

• In December food was dispatched to the following previously hard-to-reach areas:

- Qalamoun area including Dier Attiyeh and An-Nabek cities which previously had been hard-to-reach when under opposition control and due to insecurity along the roads.

- Al-Sayieda Zienab, Damascus - Rural areas in Dara'a - there was an agreement with the National Reconciliation Ministry to let the civilians out of insecure areas to go to distributions points outside , receive a food basket and then return.

• Other hard to reach areas saw a deterioration in access:

- Adra Umelya due to fighting between GoS and AoG are currently not accessible and large scale displacement is taking place. An inter-agency convoy is being planned.

- Key parts of are not accessible due not only to increased hostilities between GoS and AoGs (ex. increased air raids in key suburbs of Eastern Aleppo, under AoGs control), but also due to intra- fighting between ISIS and AoG

- (rural Damascus) has been difficult to access since June 2013 , meaning that check-points and trucks have not been authorised for the destination. However due to its geographical location and proximity with northern Lebanon, a supply chain has been maintained and although limited some coping mechanisms have been developed. There is a large scale destruction of infrastructure. It is part of the so called “low Qalamoun” and intensification of fighting has started in December.

• Developments with regard to joint convoys:

- There has been no change in convoy procedures for the authorization of convoys, and no communication to the UN in this regard

- In December two convoys took place:

(1) On 12 December, a convoy was dispatched from the UN hub in Tartous to Khan Shaikoun, governorate (opposition held area) (2) On 19 Dec a convoy was dispatched from the UN Hub in Homs to :

- In January, one unaccompanied convoy took place from Damascus to Deir Atieh (Qalamoun) in rural Damascus (govrnment controlled).

- Five convoys were not approved in December, namely:

(1)- Al Houla (Homs) was not approved asthe security committee disputed the number of beneficiaries despite the approval of the Homs governor;

(2)- Jasem (Dara’a), was approved by MOFA but denied verbally by the Dara’a governor for the second time. The HC/RC submitted a NV to MOFA to seek clarification on discrepancies between national level and the position of the local governor.

(3)- An-Nabek (rural Damascus): not answered by MOFA.

(4)- Douma (ruralDamascus), accompanied: The Note Verbale remains unanswered to date. Convoy had been planned for 19 and 23 December

(5)- Homs old City: the accompanied convoy is on hold because of lack of guarantees from both sides, the small amount of assistance approved by the security and the escalation in fighting taking place each night.

Priority 2: Hard to Reach Areas Objective 4: Ensure that medical, surgical and reproductive health supplies are allowed in all hard to reach areas Updates: (as of 9 Jan 2014)

• Aleppo: Over the past two weeks the WHO delivered two shipments with more than 125 tons of medical equipment and medicines to health providers in Aleppo -- in both government-controlled and in opposition- controlled areas. All shipments contained surgical materials, medicines to treat chronic and infectious diseases, infant incubators, ventilators and intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The first shipment containing 26 tons of medical supplies to treat more than 55,000 patients was delivered on 24 December to the Aleppo Teaching Hospital. The second shipment containing 80 tons of supplies to treat more than 213,000 patients was delivered to NGOs, local health authorities and to the Syrian Red Crescent Society (SRCS) in Aleppo’s contested areas on 3 January. In addition, an estimated 118,000 patients can be treated with another shipment of 20 tons of supplies which were delivered to the Syrian Ministry of Health.

• Clarification being sought on any further approvals