Letter to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) from Kongra Star

As Kongra Star, we sent a letter to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to exert urgent pressure on the Syrian government to immediately lift the siege on Suwayda Governorate; to work toward the establishment of safe, permanent, and sustainable humanitarian corridors to the besieged areas; to support local and regional initiatives to deliver aid, particularly those led by the DAANES; and to dispatch monitoring and fact-finding missions to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground and ensure transparency.

To the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Dear Sirs and Madams,

Amid the ongoing crises in Syria and the increasing burdens on civilians across many regions, we write to you today with deep concern and heavy hearts regarding the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Suwayda Governorate, which has been facing tragic conditions due to the siege imposed on it for weeks. This blockade has resulted in the cutoff of food, medicine, and other essential supplies.

We, in Kongra Star, a women’s movement operating at the heart of conflict zones to protect communities, empower women, and defend humanitarian values, address this urgent appeal to your esteemed organization — as the UN body responsible for coordinating humanitarian responses in emergencies — calling for your immediate and effective intervention to pressure the Syrian government to lift the siege on Suwayda and to open humanitarian corridors without delay.

In this context, we affirm that the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) has declared its full readiness to provide urgent humanitarian aid convoys to Suwayda. This initiative requires international support to facilitate access and prevent any obstruction that could further worsen the situation.

The denial of civilians’ access to food and medicine, under any pretext, constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and undermines the core values upon which the United Nations was founded. Therefore, we respectfully call on you to:

• Exert urgent pressure on the Syrian government to immediately lift the siege on Suwayda Governorate.
• Work toward the establishment of safe, permanent, and sustainable humanitarian corridors to the besieged areas.
• Support local and regional initiatives to deliver aid, particularly those led by the DAANES.
• Dispatch monitoring and fact-finding missions to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground and ensure transparency.

The current circumstances place the international community — and foremost the United Nations — before an urgent humanitarian and moral responsibility that demands immediate and thoughtful action. This is essential to prevent further deterioration, especially for the most vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly, and to ensure the timely delivery of life-saving assistance.

With our sincere appreciation

Kongra Star
July 28, 2025