HUMANITARIAN ACCESS ANALYSIS SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC December 2019

HUMANITARIAN ACCESS FROM ALL LOCATIONS (FROM WITHIN AND CROSS-BORDER) 1/5

• Tell Abiad/Ras Al Ain • Menbij • Northern Hasakeh Quality of Access subject to agreement humanitarian Agreement by the parties and insecurity (from ) and capacity Administrative regulations presence of access from by the parties, some NGOs within Syria constraints (from Qamishly). Unpredictable security environment for access from Turkey. armed actors and insecurity Page cross-border NGOs. Response also limited due to ongoing insecurity. 2/5 Distinct methodology used to assess access levels for Access for cross-border humanitarian Ras Al Ain cross-border AL-HASAKEH humanitarian assistance from Turkey Afrin Tell Abiad assistance from Turkey Menbij AR- Page • Frontline areas Distinct Raqqa City Shadadah Limited access given IDLEB ALEPPO methodology 3/5 proximity to frontlines used to and insecurity for all assess access Access for response modalities LATTAKIA levels for cross-border cross-border humanitarian Karim DEIR-EZ-ZOR assistance to humanitarian north-east Syria Oqeirbat Tweinat assistance to Page Distinct TARTOUS north-east methodology Syria 4/5 used to assess Shafa access levels from within Syria Percentage of people in need per access level Estimated number of people in need from Humanitarian Needs • Eastern Deir-ez-Zor Overview (November 2019) • East Ghouta Limited access due to significant security Higher quality of Administrative concerns for all response modalities access (but still Lower quality of access RURAL DAMASCUS subject to access (significant access regulations constraints 5% constraints) Rukban Zakeyeh Bait Jan Approximate lines of control 28% 67% Higher quality of access (but still subject to access constraints) • Rukban: Access Moderate DAR'A Moderate quality of access (increased access constraints) quality of subject to agreement access • South West AS-SWEIDA between parties Lower quality of access (significant access constraints) (increased Insecurity and administrative access The boundaries shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official constraints) regulations endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

Methodology: This analysis examines the quality of humanitarian access in Syria. The assessed access levels reflect the sustainability of humanitarian assistance, diversity of partners able to reach areas, availability of services and principled manner in which access is obtained. The three hub-level maps (page 2-4) reflect access dynamics from the perspective of each response modality. Based on available empirical data, the assessment focuses on two common indicators: 1. Ability of humanitarian actors to access populations in need and 2. ability of populations to access basic services. Additional context-specific indicators are used for each of the response modalities. In the current context, humanitarian actors continue to experience significant access constraints throughout Syria due to the security situation and bureaucratic impediments. The categories used are for purposes of showing comparative levels of access. More information on the methodology can be found on: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/methodology_qoa_0919.pdf QUALITY OF HUMANITARIAN ACCESS FROM WITHIN SYRIA (EXCLUDING CROSS-BORDER ASSISTANCE) 2/5

Whilst access constraints remain throughout the country, UN agencies, INGOs and Syrian NGOs operating from within Syria reported comparatively higher quality of access in most parts of • Idleb / Northern Hama • Menbij government-controlled governorates, including Damascus, Rural Hostilities / insecurity and lack Agreement by the parties & insecurity (to reach from Aleppo) • Oqeirbat/Karim/Tweinat Damascus, Homs, Hama, Lattakia, Tartous and Aleppo. More than 70 of agreement by the parties + capacity constraints to reach from Quamishli Insecurity; contamination and administrative percent of mission requests were approved in August and September. prevent cross-line access • Afrin regulations Several communities and enclave remain difficult to access, including Access subject to agreement by parties Rukban; Duma, Zamalka, Arbin, East , , Modira and Nashabieh in Eastern Ghouta; Bait Jan and Mazraet Beit Jin; Zakeyh and Area fully Deir Khabiyeh and Daraya – owing to administrative and security dependent on approvals. cross-border Ras Al Ain AL-HASAKEH In the northeast, the humanitarian access situation was made more humanitarian Afrin Tell Abiad complex by the recent Turkish military offensive. Following Operation assistance Menbij Peace Spring, areas under control of Turkish Armed Forces and Non-State (see map 3) • Hasakeh Armed groups remain difficult to access, with a limited number of AR-RAQQA Shadadah Administrative cross-line missions thus far authorized. Further, the proximity of the M4 ALEPPO Raqqa City highway to frontlines led to significant disruption for the transportation of IDLEB Markada regulations, humanitarian supplies and staff movement, although a reported agreement Abul Thohur Insecurity; contamination & UN on 1 December saw the resumption of commercial traffic. While most of LATTAKIA the Raqqa and Hasakeh governorates are regularly accessed by Sanjar security restrictions. Quamishli-based UN and partners, access to Shadadah and Markadah Karim DEIR-EZ-ZOR • Ar-Raqqa sub-districts remains difficult due to security concerns owing to the HAMA Oqeirbat Tweinat Contamination & UN presence of IEDs, general criminality and ISIL infiltration continue to TARTOUS security regulations. hamper sustained access and presence. Extensive explosive hazard Hajin contamination continues to present a barrier to scaling up assistance and Shafa • Deir-ez-Zor basic service provision in Raqqa city. Logistics constraints In the southern governorates, there is limited UN and INGO permanent HOMS Palmyra and distance; presence, limiting the scope and sustainability of humanitarian activities. contamination Field missions are authorized in specific areas and a number of Syria Humanitarian Fund projects are implemented by humanitarian partners. • East Ghouta Access remains challenging in areas under local agreement due to Administrative insecurity and administrative regulations. regulations RURAL DAMASCUS Damascus Rukban Area also accessible through Percentage of people in need per access level Darayya Zakeyeh • Palmyra: UN Security cross-border operations (see map 4) Estimated number of people in need from Humanitarian Needs Overview (November 2019) Bait Jan QUNEITRA 32% Lower quality of access (significant access DAR'A constraints) AS-SWEIDA • Rukban Access subject to agreement Higher Higher quality of access (but still subject to access constraints) quality of 25.7% in north-west between parties access Moderate quality of access (increased access constraints) (but still subject to 54% 5.8% in north-east • Duma / Zamalka Lower quality of access (significant access constraints) access 0.3% in other areas • South West Insecurity and Administrative regulations constraints) administrative regulations The boundaries shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official 14% endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Moderate quality of access (increased access constraints) ACCESS FOR CROSS-BORDER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FROM TURKEY 3/5

In the period October-December, humanitarian access was generally permissive across the northwest for cross-border humanitarian actors, Higher quality of access (but still subject to access constraints) 11 sub-districts recorded moderate access levels, including, , Aghtrin, A'rima with the notable exception of frontline or conflict affected areas where Moderate quality of access (increased access constraints) and Jarablus sub-districts in northern Aleppo countryside mainly due to the lower violence inhibits systematic access. Insecurity makes operating in levels of assistance delivered by humanitarian partners coordinating through the Lower quality of access (significant access constraints) these frontline areas highly dangerous and unpredictable. As formal coordination system. In de-escalation area, Dana, Ma'arrat An Nu'man, new areas are impacted with violence, humanitarian staff often The boundaries shown and the designations used , Ehsem, Mhambal, Jisr-AAsh-Shugur and Badama sub-districts recorded become displaced themselves; humanitarian infrastructure on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. moderate quality of access due to hostilities and proximity to frontlines as well as used to deliver basic services in the areas affect by this restrictions by local actors controlling the territory. violence is then damaged or destroyed. In some instances, partners suspend operations to keep staff and affected people safe. In the frontlines of the violence, the degradation of humanitarian infrastructure is a significant barrier for both Bulbul Jarablus humanitarian actors to reach people and for people to access Raju basic services. Mabtali To reach all those people in need with the full spectrum of Sheikh humanitarian services, additional humanitarian capacity is El-Hadid needed. Throughout most of the northwest, cross-border AFRIN Tall Refaat Arima partners have systematic, routine access to the people in need, • 28 sub-districts recorded higher levels of access and the population have regular access to humanitarian Al Bab despite some limited access constraints. Nabul services. Humanitarian access improved in 2019 in some areas, such as northern Aleppo and northwest Idleb. In northern Dana Daret Azza Aleppo countryside (Afrin, Azaz, Al-Bab and Jarablus districts) • 11 sub-districts with lower quality administrative restrictions affected some humanitarian partners levels of access in southern Idleb, Qourqeena ability to operate in the area. In the Dana area, ongoing ALEPPO northern Hama, western Aleppo and skirmishes and violence was reported throughout the period, northeast Lattakia due to hostilities with IED incidents, reports of arrests, assaults, and kidnappings. and proximity to frontlines. Additionally, access to health facilities was reduced due to Zarbah significant increase in the IDP population.

Badama Mhambal Saraqab Percentage of people in need per access level Jisr-Ash-Shugur IDLEB Estimated number of people in need from Humanitarian Needs Overview (November 2019) Kansaba 5% Lower quality of access Ziyara An Numan (significant access constraints) Kafr Nobol Heish Shat-ha LATTAKIA Madiq Castle Tamanaah Higher Khan Shaykun quality of 45% access (but still subject Moderate quality of to access access (increased Kafr Zeita Suran constraints 50% access constraints) ACCESS FOR CROSS-BORDER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO NORTH-EAST SYRIA 4/5

Despite recent shifts in control, access remains permissible in the large majority of areas, with continued operations across Raqqa and Hasakeh • Menbij • Ain Al Arab • Northern Al-Hasakeh governorates, including Menbij and Ain Al Arab to Response on-going, Response on-going and Relatively stable and predictable respond to humanitarian needs. However, while including scale up for scale up for emergency, • Tell Abiad / Ras Al Ain access, with greater precaution in emergency, but remains access is reported as moderate across a large but reduced international Some NGO access from vicinity to border subject to volatility number of areas, there is comparatively better staff presence Turkey but limited activities access in Hasekeh given additional presence of due to ongoing insecurity humanitarian actors, significant number of offices and increased predictability in security following recent agreements between parties. Ain al Arab Ras Al Ain Menbij and Ain Al Arab are currently characterized by more limited international staff presence. Access Tell Abiad has become extremely challenging in areas between Menbij Tell Abiad and Ras al-Ain following recent military Hole Ein Issa AL-HASAKEH Area also accessible from operations. Some Turkish and Syrian NGOs have AR-RAQQA within Syria (see map 2) access to this area from Turkey, but humanitarian Ar-Raqqa activities are limited due to ongoing insecurity. Shadadah • Southern Al-Hasakeh Access remains limited in South Eastern Deir-ez-Zor Al-Thawrah due to on-going insecurity and far distances to Kisreh Markada Increased humanitarian presence and footprint, existing NGO bases (although there are plans for more NGO offices and additional presence in North Eastern and Western • Raqqa city increased activity Deir-Ez-Zor to address this). Security environment has remained stable, • North-eastern Deir-ez-Zor increasing NGO More security incidents • Tabqa presence but ability to continue Percentage of people in need per access level Limited footprint but • Western Deir-ez-Zor operations Estimated number of people in need from Humanitarian Needs Overview (November 2019) relatively stable and ability to operate remains constant Relatively high humanitarian footprint, relatively stable Hajin

18% Lower quality of Higher quality of access (but still subject to access constraints) access (significant • South-eastern Deir-ez-Zor access constraints) Moderate quality of access (increased access constraints) More restricted access due to Lower quality of access (significant access constraints) distance and continued insecurity 82% The boundaries shown and the designations used on this map do not imply Moderate quality of official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. access (increased access constraints) LOCATIONS OF PEOPLE IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SEVERITY OF NEED 5/5

This map shows the locations of people who are in need of humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian actors require effective humanitarian access to address these needs. AL-HASAKEH

Approximate lines of control

INTER-SECTOR SEVERITY AR-RAQQA (1) Minor need ALEPPO IDLEB (2) Moderate need (3) Major need LATTAKIA

(4) Severe need DEIR-EZ-ZOR (5) Critical need

NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN NEED HAMA 1 - 500 TARTOUS 501 - 5,000 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 25,000 HOMS 25,001 - 50,000 50,001 - more than 1M

Damascus RURAL DAMASCUS

QUNEITRA DAR'A AS-SWEIDA