On Tuesday 4th April, a chemical attack took place in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, in Syria’s Idlib province. More than 100 people have died, most of them women, children and elderly civilians.
According to the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), doctors attending to the victims described people vomiting, foaming at the mouth, losing consciousness and suffering muscle spasms. 32 victims of the terrifying attack were brought to hospitals in Turkey, where 3 subsequently died.
The violence continued throughout Wednesday and Thursday, with 28 people killed in the Damacus suburbs, and at least 27 people killed in Salqin, Idlib, including 13 children.
Six years from the beginning of the crisis, Syria is still in the midst of a terrible conflict. The UN estimates that 13.5 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. 4.6 million of these people are trapped in besieged or hard to reach areas of the country, and in 13 locations, 643,780 people are denied freedom of movement and prevented from accessing food, clean water or medical supplies.
Over half of Syria’s whole population has been displaced, with 6.3 million people forced to flee their homes and sheltering in temporary settlements within Syria, and 5 million leaving the country to escape the ongoing violence.
The Syrian crisis has destroyed the lives of millions of civilians and every day, more than 6,000 people are displaced. Due to the devastating conflict, Syria’s economy stands on the brink of complete collapse. Unemployment stands at over 50%, the Syrian Pound (SYP) continues to depreciate, and the economic losses caused by years of conflict are staggering. The economic crisis and destruction of the country’s infrastructure has forced 4 out of 5 Syrians into poverty.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), around 9 million people are in need of food assistance. This means that they cannot feed themselves or their families without intervention. Due to the crisis, millions have lost their livelihoods and those displaced abroad are often prevented from legally working in their host countries. Food production has been severely limited, leading to sharp increases in food prices. Many families simply cannot afford to buy basic food items, quickly exhausting their savings. One week’s worth of simple food supplies has increased 8 times in price since the beginning of the crisis.
In this time of suffering and tragedy, we must come together to save lives. Human Appeal is on the ground in Syria, providing vital aid to those who need it most.
Our World in Crisis emergency appeal focuses Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and Somalia, countries where conflict has devastated millions, leaving them hungry and helpless. For just £100, you can provide a family in Syria with food, clean water and medical care. Without your help, they may not survive this terrible crisis.
You can save a life today.
