6 million displaced Syrians cross 2022, burdened with humanitarian crises and without a political solution

NORTHERN SYRIA - The

year 2022 will come upon the civilian population in northwestern Syria, amid ongoing humanitarian crises, exacerbated by the prolonged military conflict for a decade, and the economic collapse as a result of the depreciation of the Syrian pound, as well as the lack of radical solutions to the tragedy of the displaced Syrians in the camps.

Despite the stability of the areas of military control of the parties to the conflict in Syria for more than 22 months, this did not prevent the bombing of populated areas in the areas controlled by the Syrian opposition;

The Idlib and Aleppo regions are being bombarded by the regime forces and Russia, and civilian casualties are recorded from time to time.

Air bombardment on Maryam camp, located in the town of Maarat Misrin, north of Idlib (Anatolia Agency)

What does the map of military control look like with the start of 2022?

There has been no change in the areas of military control of the military actors in Syria since February 2020. According to the Jusoor Center for Studies, the map of military influence in Syria did not change until the end of 2021, and the proportions of control remained completely fixed between the parties to the conflict.

According to the latest map issued by the Center, the map of the forces’ control on the ground is as follows:

The opposition factions control 10.98% of the Syrian geography, and are distributed in Idlib and northern Aleppo, and in the Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain areas in Raqqa and Hasaka, as well as in “Zakf” and “Al-Tanf” (Area 55) in southeast Syria.

The Syrian regime controls 63.38% of the Syrian geography, which is almost complete control over the governorates of the coast, central and southern Syria, and parts of the eastern governorates and Aleppo governorate.

His control over Daraa governorate became comprehensive after an escalation process he started over the governorate in July 2021.

The Syrian Democratic Forces control 25.64% of the Syrian geography, which is the same percentage recorded since November 2019, and includes large parts of Deir ez-Zor governorate, Raqqa, al-Hasakah, and parts of Aleppo governorate.

Predictions for the stability of divisions

Muhammad Sarmini, director of the Jusoor Center for Studies, expected that the local forces would maintain their geographical control ratios, due to international pressure towards stabilizing the state of stability, and the unwillingness or incompatibility of regional parties to make any adjustments to the map of control.

Sarmini told Al Jazeera Net that the ceasefire agreement between Turkey and Russia on March 5, 2020, created the longest period of relative stability in the Syrian map among local actors, and lasted for 22 months, and the colors of the areas of influence remained constant between the opposition, the regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces.

How do the displaced Syrians enter the year 2022?

The tragedy of the displaced Syrians is entering a new year without any changes or positive signs of change to stop the suffering facing hundreds of thousands of them.

The displaced are facing a crisis of lack of heating fuel, especially in the northern Syrian camps, amid the bitter cold and in dilapidated tents, most of which are from the age of the Syrian revolution.

The team of "Syria Response Coordinators" - in the latest population census in northwestern Syria - estimates the number of displaced Syrians inside the country at more than 6 million, of whom more than 1.5 million live in camps set up in the open and on agricultural lands.

Muhammad Hallaj, director of the Syria Response Coordinators, said that the tragedy of the displaced in the winter, the flooding of tents and the lack of fuel, continues and is repeated every year with the same scenario, results and damages.

Hallaj predicted to Al Jazeera Net that this crisis would continue in the absence of a response from those concerned and the loss of a political solution.

One of the most difficult 2021 photos published by the Washington Post of a Syrian father who lost his leg in a mine explosion carrying his child, who was born without limbs (American press)

What violations are recorded against civilians in Idlib and Aleppo?

During 2021, 1,271 Syrian civilians were killed by the parties to the conflict and the controlling forces in Syria, according to a toll documented by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, a copy of which was obtained by Al Jazeera Net.

According to the network, at least 19 massacres were committed by the parties to the conflict and the dominant forces in Syria in 2021.

Fadel Abdel Ghani, director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, said that there is no prospect for a solution and work seriously to end the Syrian catastrophe and stop the violations that have been going on for years against Syrian civilians.

Abdul Ghani told Al Jazeera Net that the violations recorded this year are less than previous years, "but this indicator is not accurate, as it is a cumulative and high outcome, as the killing continues and has not stopped."

What are the expected repercussions on the population's circulation of the Turkish lira?

Nearly two years ago, the people began trading the Turkish lira after the Syrian opposition officially announced the use of the Turkish currency instead of the Syrian one, due to the latter's loss of value against the US dollar, and the successive losses it suffered.

Despite the recent relative improvement in the exchange rate of the Turkish lira against the dollar, the prices of basic foodstuffs, fuel and bread did not witness a significant decrease in the markets of northwestern Syria, and the population noted their stability, contrary to what was expected.

Citizens from the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib told Al Jazeera Net that the merchants raised the prices of materials on the impact of the previous collapse of the lira, and upon its recent recovery, they did not adjust them and maintained their old price.

For his part, the Minister of Economy in the Syrian Interim Government, Abdul Hakim al-Masri (opposition), said that the reasons for the rise in prices in the market are linked to the exchange rate of the Turkish lira, in addition to the issue of global inflation and the high price of oil globally.

Al-Masry estimated - in his speech to Al-Jazeera Net - that the recovery of the Turkish lira will reduce prices in the foreseeable future, stressing that some goods have decreased in price, at a time when the government intends to prevent the pricing of goods in dollars and to control prices clearly.