Snapshot 22– 29 July
In Syria, large-scale operations have been ongoing in several major cities, including Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, and Idleb with regime forces pushing to extend the gains obtained over the past weeks with support of the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters. This week, fierce fighting erupted in and around the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, in southern Damascus governorate, where an estimated 20,000 Palestinian refugees are still residing. Government forces also shelled neighbourhoods in the south, east and north of the capital. In Homs, government troops are reported to have eventually seized Khaldiyeh neighbourhood after weeks of fighting on 29 July. Meanwhile, clashes between Kurdish fighters and Islamist armed groups have spread to Tal Abyad, Ar-Raqqa Governorate. Over 1.85 million Syrian refugees have now fled to neighbouring countries.
Heavy seasonal rain over the past two weeks has resulted in flooding in many parts of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The provinces of North and South Pyongan were particularly severely affected. According to the Red Cross, Anju City, in South Pyongan province, is 80% flooded after the Chongchon River caused embankments to break in the morning of 21 July. At least 45,948 people are severely affected and left homeless as a result of the flooding, mostly in North and South Pyongan.
In Tajikistan, new analysis of the food security situation confirmed that the country was still facing widespread food insecurity even if the situation had improved since the beginning of the year. As reported by WFP, the food security status of 3% of the population, approximately 152,000 people, in rural livelihood zones was classified as IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). The status of 39% of the rural population, approximately 2,285,000 people, was classified as IPC Phase 2 (Stressed).
Last Updated: 29/07/2013 Next Update: 05/08/2013
