I. Introduction
1. The present report is the thirty-second submitted pursuant to paragraph 17 of Security Council resolution 2139 (2014), paragraph 10 of Council resolution 2165 (2014), paragraph 5 of Council resolution 2191 (2014) and paragraph 5 of Council resolution 2258 (2015), in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to report, every 30 days, on the implementation of the resolutions by all parties to the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic.
2. The information contained herein is based on the data available to United Nations agencies on the ground, from the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, other Syrian sources and open sources. Data from United Nations agencies on their humanitarian deliveries have been reported for the period from 1 to 30 September 2016.
Box 1
Key points in September 2016
(1) The 9 September agreement between the United States of America and the Russian Federation did not hold. More than 300 people in eastern Aleppo were killed in the last week of September, mainly as a result of air strikes. At the same time, more than 80 people were killed in western Aleppo.
(2) On 19 September, a United Nations and Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy delivering humanitarian assistance for 78,000 in Urum al-Kubra (in western rural Aleppo governorate) came under attack, resulting in the deaths of 18 people, including Red Crescent volunteers and staff and drivers.
(3) The number of people besieged in the Syrian Arab Republic has grown from 586,200 to 861,200 owing to the addition to the siege of eastern Aleppo, where an estimated 275,000 people reside.
(4) The United Nations and health partners received credible reports of 30 attacks against medical facilities in September. Of those, 12 attacks have been confirmed.
(5) Owing to the lack of food, nearly 80 per cent of households surveyed by the World Food Programme have reported resorting to rationing food, such as having one meal per day.
II. Major developments
3. Intensified fighting and numerous ground and air strikes resulted in the death of civilians, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation during the reporting period. That included the damaging of structures enjoying special protection under international humanitarian law, such as medical units. The people of the Syrian Arab Republic continue to suffer the most egregious abuse: they are assaulted; deprived of food, water and medicines in horrific conditions of uncertain survival; and all too frequently killed. Insecurity and ongoing violence remained a major factor limiting the ability of United Nations agencies and their partners to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance, and in one instance resulted in the deaths of humanitarian workers and related staff. Heavy fighting continued across the country, including in Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr, Hama, Idlib, Rif Dimashq and other governorates.
4. In eastern Aleppo, where some 275,000 people have been trapped since July, efforts to ease the suffering of the population were ultimately unsuccessful. On 9 September, following months of negotiations, the United States of America and the Russian Federation reached an agreement that would restore the cessation of hostilities, facilitate humanitarian access and establish closer military cooperation between the two countries. The renewed cessation of hostilities came into effect on 12 September and for several days significantly reduced violence. On 19 September, however, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic declared an end to the cessation of hostilities, citing violations by non-State armed opposition groups, and on 22 September announced a major offensive against eastern Aleppo. The offensive killed more than 300 people, including 100 children, in the first week. During that same time, more than 80 people, including 32 children, were reportedly killed in western Aleppo.
5. On 19 September, a United Nations and Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy delivering humanitarian assistance for 78,000 in Urum al-Kubra (west of Aleppo) came under sustained attack. Over the course of two hours, 18 people (12 volunteers, 5 drivers and the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in Urum al-Kubra) lost their lives. Another 15 drivers were wounded, and civilians were killed and injured. The warehouse, where supplies were unloaded, as well as a nearby clinic run by the Red Crescent, were also severely damaged. No party has taken responsibility for the attack. On 30 September, the Secretary-General announced the establishment of an internal United Nations board of inquiry, whose task will be to ascertain the facts of the incident.
6. Following the local agreement reached in Darayya on 24 August and the evacuation of its population on 26 and 27 August, on 2 September an additional 350 civilians from Darayya, but living in neighbouring Mu‘addamiyah, were evacuated to Hirjillah under the auspices of the agreement. Starting on 1 September, 93 predominantly elderly internally displaced persons hosted in Hirjillah were permitted to leave the shelter, and are now living with their relatives or acquaintances. The number of residents in Hirjillah now stands at 750 people.