Heavy snowfall is isolating displacement centers across northern and northwestern Syria, cutting off vital connections. Crowded tents, now burdened by layers of ice and snow, have become freezing enclosures that fail to shield families from the biting cold. Residents in these sites continue to endure severe hardships as temperatures plummet and snow accumulates within the camp boundaries.
Even though more than a year has passed since the collapse of the previous Syrian regime, the prospect of returning home remains an impossible dream for many. With their houses in ruins and their livelihoods lost, a return to normalcy has not yet materialized. This winter has arrived not merely as a change in weather, but as a grueling trial that intensifies the agony of those living in displacement.
The Desperate Search for Fuel
At the Mazra’at Shuwayhah camp in the northern Aleppo countryside of northern Syria, Ali al-Asini begins his day by scavenging for any available wood or discarded plastic to provide some warmth for his children. Ali observes that the current winter is significantly more brutal than those in the past.
In a conversation with Enab Baladi, Ali explained that the coal once supplied by humanitarian organizations, which helped soften the winter’s blow, is nowhere to be found. No consistent aid has been delivered this year. “Children run between tents looking for anything that can burn, and adults try to collect whatever might provide warmth. The harsh winter imposes itself mercilessly on everyone in the camps,” he remarked.
He further noted that the icy, waterlogged terrain makes every movement outside a hazard, while the freezing air penetrates every gap, even through the thick blankets families use for cover. In previous seasons, Ali recalled that families would receive a sack or two of coal to help them cope, but that support has completely stopped this year, forcing residents to rely entirely on their own limited resources. With no regular humanitarian assistance, people are turning to cardboard, plastic waste, and used oil for heat, despite the dangerous fumes and health hazards these materials produce.
Risking Safety for a Moment of Warmth
Conditions are equally dire at al-Zaytoun camp in the northern Aleppo countryside. Hussam al-Khalaf reports that children spend hours picking through trash for nylon and cardboard. Meanwhile, adults have resorted to burning old oil or leaked fuel to heat their living spaces.
Hussam described the atmosphere inside the tents as being thick with suffocating smoke, turning the quest for warmth into a daily battle for survival. He noted that the freezing temperatures have become an unavoidable part of life, and without external support, residents are forced to use any method available, regardless of the risks involved.
At Beer Kaftin camp in the northern Idlib countryside of northwestern Syria, Ahmad al-Hussein spoke of children standing for long periods in the snow to find burnable scraps. Families attempt to survive the sub-zero temperatures by huddling under quilts and blankets. Ahmad told Enab Baladi that meltwater from the snow and damp blankets are insufficient to protect children. He emphasized the desperate need for safe heating alternatives, such as husks or firewood, now that regular humanitarian aid has ceased.
Destruction and Flooding at Home
For those who have attempted to return to their original homes in al-Hawash village, located in the al-Ghab Plain of the Hama countryside in west central Syria, the situation is hardly better. The village has been so heavily destroyed that it now resembles a displacement camp. The streets are filled with rubble, and many structures are inundated with water.
Ahmad Atiya, a local resident, shared that most houses have been flooded by heavy rains, leading to wall collapses. “As for heating, it is nonexistent. Children face the cold, and conditions are extremely difficult. What we are living through is a tragedy in every sense of the word,” he told Enab Baladi. He noted that the basic necessity of warmth has become an unattainable goal as water damage continues to degrade their living conditions.
Efforts to Mitigate the Winter Crisis
Civil activist Yusuf Jadaan argues that the top priority must be the immediate restoration of relief programs to ensure that families receive critical supplies during the winter months. He suggested that partnerships between local communities and aid groups could facilitate the creation of storage points within camps to allow for the rapid distribution of fuel and wood during cold snaps. Jadaan stated that snow and ice have become direct enemies of the displaced, adding, “Every flame, every step outside a tent, every brief moment of warmth is a daily battle for survival.”
Meanwhile, Baraa Babouli, the programs director for the Molham Volunteering Team, informed Enab Baladi that their personnel are currently active in the camps. They are conducting the “Give Warmth” (Khairak Defa) campaign, which has been running for three years to address the needs of families during the winter.
The initiative involves the distribution of firewood, coal, diesel, and blankets. Babouli confirmed that distribution efforts are ongoing in several locations, including Khirbet al-Joz in Idlib governorate, Mayer village in Aleppo governorate, the Widows Camp in Azaz near the Turkish border, and the Dana camp in the Idlib countryside.
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