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Syrian Families Remain in Idlib Camps 18 Months After Assad's Ouster
More than one million internally displaced Syrians still live in tents. The interim government and aid groups face funding shortfalls while reconstruction costs reach hundreds of billions of dollars.
May 26, 9:14 AM·1m read1 source
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Sobhieh al-Saleh continues to live with her family in the al-Karama tent camp in Atmeh, Idlib province, after a rebel offensive ended Bashar Assad's rule in late 2024. She visited her former home in al-Lataminah and found it destroyed. More than half the camp's residents have left, but she and others lack funds to rebuild.
Rain leaks through tents each winter, while summer heat and flies affect the roughly 40,000 people remaining in the settlement. No aid has reached the camp since the change in government, according to residents. 3 million people and ending a bread subsidy used by millions.
President Ahmad al-Sharaa has set a goal of moving displaced Syrians out of tents by the end of 2027. 5 billion toward that target. The World Bank estimates postwar reconstruction will cost about $216 billion. Inflation has raised building-material prices, and many residents carry unpaid loans taken for daily expenses.
United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator Nathalie Fustier said private-sector and international financial institutions may be needed to meet the 2027 deadline. She added that some camps could remain even as work continues.
