The Syrian Future Movement is following with grave concern and deep sorrow the urgent humanitarian appeal issued by the Syrian Network for Human Rights on Monday, February 9, 2026, which meticulously documents the catastrophic damage inflicted on displacement camps in northwestern Syria, particularly in the western Idlib countryside, as a result of the torrential rains and flash floods that swept through the region on February 7 and 8, 2026.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms its full and unwavering solidarity with the Syrian Network for Human Rights in this urgent humanitarian appeal and shares its accurate assessment of the tragic reality: approximately 24 camps have been affected to varying degrees out of more than 1,150 camps in northern Syria (801 in the Idlib countryside and 349 in the Aleppo countryside), which shelter more than one million displaced people who have been living in extremely difficult humanitarian conditions for many years.
The damage included the flooding or complete destruction of hundreds of tents, soil erosion, the collapse of dilapidated tents, the disruption of rudimentary drainage systems, the damage to mattresses, blankets, and food supplies, and the disruption of dirt roads. This led to the displacement of hundreds of families who sought refuge in schools and mosques as temporary shelters.
Approximately 931 families were directly affected, including some 494 families who lost their homes and belongings entirely, amidst severe cold and continuous rainfall. Initial reports indicate that children have drowned in various areas.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that this disaster was not an isolated incident, but rather a painful repetition of what occurs every winter in displacement camps. These camps suffer from a chronic humanitarian crisis resulting from the protracted conflict, mass displacement, the lack of proper infrastructure (drainage systems, paved roads, weather-resistant tents), and the prevalence of dilapidated tents that offer no protection whatsoever. We believe that the recurring floods and collapses constitute a persistent violation of the right to adequate housing and the fundamental rights of displaced persons, especially children, women, and the elderly, who bear the brunt of this ongoing suffering.
The Syrian Future Movement fully supports the urgent appeal launched by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, which calls upon international and UN humanitarian organizations to take immediate and coordinated action to provide emergency relief, including the provision of weather-resistant tents, emergency shelter materials, winter blankets and tarpaulins, food supplies, essential medicines, and support for civil defense teams with heavy equipment and water pumps. It also calls for the establishment of safe temporary shelters that meet protection and privacy standards, particularly for vulnerable groups.
The Syrian Future Movement also emphasizes the importance of the Network’s call upon the Syrian government to implement preventative and sustainable solutions. These solutions include the construction of temporary and permanent drainage networks, the improvement of access roads, the reassessment of camp locations to relocate them to areas less prone to flooding, and support for projects facilitating a gradual transition to safer and more dignified housing.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on all Syrian parties, the international community, and humanitarian organizations to respond immediately to this appeal. It emphasizes that bridging the humanitarian funding gap is urgent at this critical juncture, and that it is essential to ensure the rapid and transparent delivery of aid to those affected, without delay or discrimination.
Based on the above, the Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:
- Launching a fundraising campaign and collecting in-kind contributions from Syrian communities abroad (especially in Europe, Turkey, and the United States), in coordination with trusted local organizations in northern Syria, to provide waterproof winter tents and immediate heating supplies within the next few weeks. This should be done with a focus on complete transparency in aid distribution through regular reporting.
- Implementing a “Rapid Camp Repair” program, in coordination with local civil defense teams and relief organizations, to carry out emergency work in the most affected camps (such as Khirbet al-Jouz and its surroundings). This work should include digging temporary drainage channels, raising the soil around tents, and distributing sandbags and waterproof plastic sheeting to prevent flooding during the current winter.
- The “Safe Schools as Shelters” initiative involves collaborating with local education authorities to convert some unused or temporarily closed schools into fully equipped winter shelters (providing privacy for families, basic health services, and psychosocial support programs for children), while ensuring the continuation of education in the schools currently in use through a flexible schedule.
- A long-term program (starting now) is being launched to train groups of displaced people and local residents in simple and low-cost drainage ditch construction techniques and to cultivate water-tolerant plants around the camps to reduce runoff. This program is being implemented in collaboration with local agricultural experts and international organizations such as the FAO and environmental organizations.
- A secure communication channel (via encrypted applications or closed groups) is being established to receive complaints and reports directly from camp residents about their daily needs, which will then be immediately forwarded to relief organizations and relevant authorities to ensure a rapid and transparent response.
The Syrian Future Movement renews its firm commitment to supporting the rights of the displaced and refugees, and to working to end their suffering through comprehensive political solutions that guarantee a safe and dignified return, fair reconstruction, and the building of a state that protects the dignity of its citizens and provides them with a decent life.
