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Syria + 4 more

Middle East, North Africa: Humanitarian Access Snapshot (as of 16 October 2017) [EN/AR]

Attachments

IRAQ: Intense fighting in Mosul is over and military operations are planned to shift to Telafar, Hawiga and Anbar, the last remaining areas under the control of Islamic State of the Levant in Iraq (ISIL). After decades of war, the volume of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) renders Iraq one of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world, putting civilians in danger. The complexity and diversity of IEDs require specialist mine clearance operators – for Mosul alone, early estimates indicate it will take years to clear the Old City. Pockets of volatility, violence and asymmetric attacks also persist. ISIL maintains a presence in Salah al-Din governorate, with towns like Shirqat subject to repeated outbreaks of insecurity. Civilians regularly face risks from small arms fire and targeted IED attacks, as well as crossfire or aerial bombardment during clashes between ISIL and security forces. Fear of retributive acts amongst displaced people hinders some families’ return. In Salah al-Din, Anbar and Ninewa governorates, people suspected of affiliation with ISIL faced eviction from their homes throughout July.
Despite growing risks and concerns, people are returning home with over 2 million returning countrywide since 2014. A total of 244,978 people returned to Mosul city as of 25 July. Patterns of return across Iraq remain complex – not necessarily durable or sustainable. Protection is a top priority and much work will be needed in the rebuilding of communities and promotion of social cohesion across country.

OCCUPIED PALESTENIAN TERRITORY: International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) have faced difficulties obtaining work visas for incoming international staff. As of June 2017, Israeli authorities suspended the issuance of “recommendation letters”, a precondition for obtaining a work visa. The discontinuation of these services, without an alternative mechanism in place to ensure consistent access of staff to their duty stations will disrupt humanitarian operations, as key staff arriving from abroad will be unable to effectively manage and monitor operations.
Meanwhile, national staff working for aid organizations continue to face increasing delays and denials in permit requests to enter and exit Gaza. Over the course of 2017, 44% of UN Gaza-based staff received no response to requests for exiting Gaza. Between July and August 2017, an average 51% of requests remained pending with no response and 131 Gaza-based staff where prohibited from exiting Gaza by their date of travel. Restrictions on staff travel were further compounded in August 2017, with limitations imposed on carrying work-related items, including personal laptops, out of Gaza. The impact of restrictions on movement via the Israeli-authorized Erez Crossing has been compounded by the almost continuous closure of the Egyptian border at Rafah Crossing.
Entry of Palestinians holding West Bank IDs to East Jerusalem are also subject to a permit system including patients and national staff of humanitarian organizations. There was a total of 96 access incidents affecting UN and INGO personnel in the oPt during July and August 2017, 48% of which were caused by demands of UN property search.

SYRIA: Humanitarian access remains extremely challenging owing to active conflict, shifting conflict lines, administrative impediments and deliberate restrictions on the movement of people and goods by parties to the conflict. Access for the UN and its partners to those living in besieged and hard-to-reach locations remains a critical concern. Even as de-escalation has contributed to a welcome reduction in the level of hostilities in some areas, there has been continued airstrikes and fighting in others. Following advancements by the Government of Syria in September, besieged neighborhoods of Deir ez-Zor city have become newly accessible, with UN and other assistance arriving by land. Some 13.6 million people in Syria remain in need of humanitarian assistance, including 6.15 million internally displaced. An estimated 2.98 million people live in hard to reach areas including 419’920 who are currently besieged.

LIBYA: Civilians in Libya continue to suffer as a result of conflict, instability, political fragmentation and a collapsing economy. An estimated 1.3 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, living in unsafe conditions and high-risk hostile environments, with little or no access to health care, essential medicines, food, safe drinking water, shelter or education. Non-Libyans – especially women – face dismal conditions and widespread abuse. Periodic escalations of conflict occur as armed groups contest for territorial control and political legitimacy, putting civilians at heightened risk. Protection risks to civilians include being caught in cross-fire, targeted attacks, explosive remnants of war (ERW), and restrictions on freedom of movement.
Lack of sustained access across Libya is a challenge to rapid humanitarian assessment, monitoring and response in Libya. Continuing to expand the humanitarian footprint is a clear operational priority.
Large of number of Returnees: Several government initiatives between tribes and groups enabled the return to thousands of people, often to areas affected by UXOs. The international community looking at ways to support the return efforts with limited funding’s. Libya is the main point of departure for the Mediterranean crossing to Europe (some 90 per cent of the over 181,000 people who arrived in Italy by sea in 2016 departed from Libya); in 2017 (16,437 people) have been rescued over, and it is estimated that 102,534 have crossed/arrived to Italy

YEMEN: Administrative difficulties, physical infrastructure and local interference or attempted interference in the humanitarian aid delivery continue to be the main factors impacting humanitarian access in Yemen.
Of 20.7 people in need of assistance in Yemen, approximately 1.7 million people live in districts with the highest access constraints, of whom 0.7 million are in acute need of assistance.
Focus group discussions conducted by OCHA with humanitarian partners (UN, international and national NGOs) in the third quarter of 2017 indicate that 52% of districts (172) have low access constraints, while 36% of districts (122) have medium level access constraints and 12 % of districts (39) have high access constraints.

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