UNHCR established its presence in Syria in 1991 to respond to the influx of refugees from Iraq. In later years, refugees from Somalia and Yemen sought international protection in Syria. By the end of 2009, more than 1.1 million Iraqis had sought safety in Syria, including 206,000 registered refugees with UNHCR, making Syria the third largest refugee-hosting country globally. With the onset of the crisis in Syria in 2011, UNHCR expanded the scope of its operations to respond to the growing humanitarian needs of internally displaced people (IDPs) across the country, in addition to supporting refugees and asylum-seekers.
The protracted crisis in Syria continues to affect millions of lives. The security situation in parts of the country is unpredictable and the economic situation is increasingly dire.
The 2024 Syria Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) estimates that over 16.7 million people need humanitarian assistance in Syria, a 9 per cent increase from 2023.
UNHCR Syria’s response to Syrian IDPs, returnees, refugees and host communities is conducted under the framework of the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan. UNHCR has a Country Office in Damascus; four Sub-Offices in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Qamishli; two Field Offices Tartous and As-Sweida; and two Field Units in Latakia and Deir-ez-Zor.