The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has mounted an emergency response in southern Syria which aims to reach the entire population of As-Sweida and crisis affected families in surrounding areas with food assistance in the coming weeks. The expanded operation builds upon assistance WFP has been providing across As-Sweida, Dar'a and Rural Damascus, following a recent surge in violence that has displaced thousands and left communities struggling to survive.
Hostilities in As-Sweida and neighboring areas have triggered widespread displacement, disrupted markets, and worsened food security and humanitarian conditions. In the coming weeks, WFP will distribute emergency food baskets, fortified wheat flour for bread production, and specialized nutrition products to nearly 600,000 people - the entire population of As-Sweida Governorate - and additional families in neighbouring areas. This scale-up aims to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis and maintain social cohesion at a critical time.
"Families in Syria have been hit by crisis after crisis which has prevented millions from being able to fully recover and reach a food secure future," said Marianne Ward, WFP Country Director in Syria. "Food security underpins social cohesion, peace, and stability so scaling up this response now is essential to prevent this humanitarian emergency from spiraling into a broader crisis that will require longer term interventions."
Bread remains a vital lifeline for Syrian families and a cornerstone of WFP's response. By supplying fortified wheat flour to bakeries, WFP ensures affordable bread for millions, this is a flexible approach that can be scaled up during emergencies and scaled down as conditions improve, bridging the gap between crisis response and recovery.
After more than a decade of conflict, Syria remains one of the world's largest displacement crises and continues to face immense humanitarian challenges including wildfires, drought, and the growing insecurity in the south. Over half of the population are food insecure, with approximately 3 million people projected to be severely food insecure.
Across the entire country, WFP assisted over 5.2 million people in 2025, including 3.5 million people reached monthly through a highly prioritized response plan focused on those facing the most severe food insecurity. This includes 1.2 million people reached with emergency food assistance, and 2 million people benefitting from daily, fortified bread sold at a subsidized price in Syria's most food insecure areas.
WFP's ability to keep food in the hands of families and support early recovery from shocks depends on sustained donor support. Over the next six months, WFP urgently requires US$132 million to maintain emergency and resilience programmes across Syria.
