Fleeing fighting

The civil war in Syria has had devastating impact on its people, its society and its economy. Since the eruption of the fighting three years ago, almost half its pre-war population of 23 million has been forced to abandon their homes. Roughly, a third of its population is internally displaced and a fourth has crossed international borders in search of security. Around 50 per cent of those who have fled their homes are children. The large number of people displaced in the Syrian civil war, their terrible plight and the significant challenges the problem has imposed on international relief agencies has prompted the UN High Commissioner of Refugees to describe it as the “biggest humanitarian emergency of our era.” Moving out of the epicentre of the war zone to so-called 'sanctuaries' has not made Syrians safe. In fact, even their flight is fraught with danger. They have to make their way through areas that are under the control of militias and often need to pay large sums to buy their way out. Those who have moved within Syria’s borders have done so multiple times as the frontlines in the conflict shift and fighting spreads to new areas.

Most Syrian refugees have sought sanctuary in neighbouring countries, some of whom are engulfed in worse conflict. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees are said to be trapped in territory controlled by the Islamic State. Lebanon, which has struggled with sectarian fighting for decades, hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees. And it has been a generous host to the Syrians. Still, problems loom. The additional pressure that the refugees impose on scarce jobs and resources will trigger new conflicts among host communities, who will soon treat refugees as unwelcome outsiders.

Dealing with roughly three million refugees that the Syrian civil war has created requires robust humanitarian support. Rich countries must be more generous in funding the work of UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Besides, humanitarian support needs to move beyond those languishing in camps in cities. But more importantly, the international community needs to address the underlying problem that has triggered the refugee exodus. This means that the civil war in Syria must be brought to an end immediately. Unfortunately, with the global and regional big powers continuing to keep the conflict alive through their arming of the various sides, an early end to the fighting seems unlikely.