Summary
An estimated 5,000 individuals in total have been displaced by fighting since 27 May in the northern Aleppo countryside, with most settling in settlements adjacent to the Bab Al Salam border crossing point, Azaz town, Afrin and Yazibag.
Kurdish authorities in Afrin Canton have prevented civilians attempting to enter the area as of 29 May in response to the ongoing shelling of Kurdish controlled Sheikh Maqsoud by NSAGs over the past 48 hours.
Some 2,000 individuals have managed to evacuate Mare’a and Sheikh Issa towns after being encircled by fighting on 27 May, however, an estimated 7,000 civilians still remain inside and unable to leave due to restrictions imposed by Kurdish authorities.
Humanitarian agencies have continued to suspend operations and evacuate staff from towns in close proximity to hostilities.
Humanitarian response to ongoing displacement has been thus far limited due to security concerns for staff.
Access Overview
Despite the recent decline in hostilities over the past 24 hours, intermittent clashes continue between NSAGs and ISIL militants on the outskirts of Kafr Kalbien, Kafr shush, Baraghideh, and Mare’a towns.
A number of counter offensives have been coordinated by NSAGs operating in the Azaz sub district, hindering further advancements by ISIL militants towards Azaz town.
On 29 May, PYD authorities in Afrin district announced the closure of roads connecting Azaz to Afrin and the Mare’ – Afrin road in response to NSAG’s attack and shelling on Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood in Aleppo city, where a number of people were recently killed and injured including women and children. Due to the closure of the Mare’ – Afrin road, an estimated 7,000 civilians are effectively trapped in Mare’ and Sheikh Issa towns. Prior to the closure of this road, 2,000 people reportedly crossed into Afrin district since May 27. Access concerns have also been raised for medical staff working in Mare’a town’s one and only operational field hospital whereby many need to exit the town, as they have been unable to leave for almost a week. Negotiations for the unimpeded passage of staff and medical supplies to the town are still ongoing between various parties.
Moreover, following 8,000 new arrival IDPs into Azaz sub district from ISIL-held areas in Ar-Raqqa governorate, the Shariah court in Azaz town issued an official statement on May 24 forbidding IDPs to enter Azaz town. The court cited that the large concentration of IDPs in the town and surrounding camps have heightened fears of infiltration by ISIL covert groups posing as IDPs in the vulnerable corridor.
Displacement and Response
Hundreds of families continue to be displaced by fighting in the Azaz and Mare’a sub districts over the past 24 hours regardless of the downturn in fighting. According to the Camp Coordination and Management (CCCM), as of May 29, some 450 new arrival IDPs arrived to informal settlements located in Yazibag, raising the total number of IDPs in the settlement to 1,650. Meanwhile, 700 more new arrival IDPs arrived in the Afrin canton, taking the toll up to almost 2,000 IDPs. Due to movement restrictions placed on the displaced population in Afrin, many families have reportedly been unable to exit Afrin southwards to the western countryside of Aleppo, though several hundred IDPs from Sheikh Issa, Mare’a, Kiljibrin and Kafr Kalbein have been able to exit Afrin northwards to Azaz district over the last 48 hours according to key informants working in the northern countryside.
The recently relaunched Azaz task force will reportedly focus its efforts on the humanitarian response in Yazibag’s camps and informal settlements and, if accessible - the Afrin district. Humanitarian partners with established presence in Afrin district have already prepared response plans to provide assistance for expected new arrivals. Some humanitarian partners based in the western Aleppo countryside sub district of Daret are also looking to scale up and respond to needs if IDPs begin to move south of Afrin canton.
Given the volatile and unpredictable nature of the situation at present, humanitarian partners in the Azaz enclave remain on standby until the situation stabilizes. The dwindling of safe areas for civilians and humanitarians alike constitutes the biggest hurdle in the face of any humanitarian response to the recently displaced. Should IDPs be soon allowed safe passage into the western countryside through Afrin district, humanitarian partners present in the area will be able to respond accordingly. Meanwhile, Humanitarian partners in Aleppo have requested interagency cross line convoys to optimize the humanitarian response.