Syria - The violence in Syria’s northwestern Idleb governorate bordering Turkey is escalating. According to UNOCHA, by late April an estimated 133,831 people were displaced as a result. IOM is delivering non-food (NFI) relief aid from Damascus and from Gaziantep in Turkey to help people displaced by the fighting.

Since April 2, it has reached almost 27,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) with some 7,950 NFI kits including clothing, blankets, hygiene kits, baby diapers and mosquito nets. 2,000 of the kits were brought in from Turkey.

These were distributed to IDPs in Hama, Homs and Latakia. In Hama it also distributed 500 plastic sheet kits for weatherproofing and to provide families with privacy, and 25 wheelchairs.

“IOM and its partners did a rapid assessment of the needs caused by the displacement. Teams from our Damascus and Gaziantep hubs then worked together to provide a coordinated and timely response. But the needs remain great and the situation remains fluid,” said IOM Syria Coordinator Dave Bercasio.

IOM shelter experts and engineers from Damascus are also currently repairing five public shelters in As-Suqaylabiyah and Masyaf in Hama governorate, which are hosting 772 IDPs from Idleb. The repairs are expected to be completed by June 14.

In the coming days, IOM is planning to distribute 1,500 dignity kits for women and another 1,620 NFI kits to reach another 11,220 IDPs. In Jasr Ash Shagur in northern Idleb, it will provide some 8,200 NFI kits and 1,100 tents.

In coordination with other humanitarian partners on the ground, IOM will continue to provide vulnerable families with essential relief items. As the fighting in Idleb continues, more displacement is likely and more funding will be required.

IOM’s current response to the Idleb displacement is being supported by the European Commission Humanitarian Protection & Civil Protection (ECHO), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and UNOCHA’s Emergency Response Fund (ERF) and Humanitarian Pooled Fund (HPF).

For further information please contact IOM Syria. Maria Rumman, Tel: + 963 9333 11204, Email: mrumman@iom.int or Dave Bercasio, Tel: +90 535 869 3707, Email: dbercasio@iom.int. Or Meera Sethi at IOM Turkey, Tel: +90 312 454 1136, Email: msethi@iom.int.