Around 2,000 Displaced Families in As-Suwayda in Urgent Need of Shelter Amid Warnings of a Humanitarian Crisis

As-Suwayda Governorate is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with around 2,000 displaced families in urgent need of shelter, amid overcrowded schools and the Palace of Justice building, and a lack of available alternatives, according to local relief sources.

Ashraf Munther, the director of the shelter centers in As-Suwayda, stated that the crisis is intensifying in the city center and surrounding countryside as displaced people continue to be housed in seven schools that can no longer accommodate more families. He warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if urgent solutions are not found.

According to the sources, the population was forcibly displaced due to the military escalation that occurred in As-Suwayda and its countryside last July, following violent clashes between transitional government forces and affiliated groups on one side, and Druze National Guard forces on the other. The fighting resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 people and the abduction of hundreds.

Munther noted that more than 1,400 displaced families are currently residing outside the schools and are searching for shelter, while the total number of families in need of housing exceeds 2,000.

The relief committee in As-Suwayda explained that it was forced to relocate displaced persons from six schools to the Palace of Justice building, which is now completely full. This has led to the suspension of educational activities in several schools that have been converted into temporary shelters.

The Displaced Persons Committee in As-Suwayda stated that it receives more than 15 new requests daily from families who have lost their homes and are living in difficult conditions, pointing out that the available resources are extremely limited.

The committee also confirmed that its efforts face obstacles due to the refusal of some official entities to allocate additional government buildings to house the displaced, further complicating the humanitarian crisis in the governorate.