Humanitarian partners reported that two babies died due to extreme cold in the Harim area of northern Idleb.
Around 5,000 shelters were fully or partially damaged, leaving families exposed to freezing temperatures and at increased risk of hypothermia and respiratory illnesses.
Fuel supplies decrease
Conditions worsen further as fuel supplies run out. Displacement sites in Al-Hasakeh city and collective shelters in Ar-Raqqa are out of fuel after support ended in December due to funding shortages.
Since the storm, aid workers have provided stoves and fuel to more than 10,000 displaced people.
The UN estimates that $112 million is needed for life-saving winter assistance in Syria through March 2026, but only $29 million has been secured, leaving a funding gap of 74 percent.
Nigeria: Attacks on schools undermine the right to education
The top UN official in Nigeria on Tuesday called for greater protection of civilians and schools following a wave of attacks in Niger state, in the north-central part of the country.
The most recent incident occurred on Saturday when more than 30 people were reportedly killed in an attack on a market in Kasuwan Daji village, located in Borgu Local Government Area (LGA).
The gunmen also kidnapped an unknown number of people and set fire to nearby market stalls and homes.
Other worrying incidents were reported elsewhere, including Agwara LGA, where a mass kidnapping occurred in November following an attack on Saint Mary’s Catholic School. More than 300 people, mostly students, were captured and later released.
Serious rights violations
“These attacks are serious violations of human rights, including the right to life and the protection of civilians, particularly women and children, and undermine the right to education,” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Malick Fall said in a statement.
“Students, schools and educational staff must be protected from any form of attack. No child should be put at risk while pursuing an education, a fundamental right of all children.”
He recalled that the UN has reiterated the need for the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration in Nigeria.
More than 120 countries have endorsed the 2015 Declaration, which outlines commitments to increase the protection of education from attack and prohibit the use of schools and universities for military purposes during armed conflict.
Lebanon: UN peacekeepers report more Israeli airstrikes and direct fire
Peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported three airstrikes in their area of operations on Monday.
The mission also detected fighter jet activity and reported small arms and tank fire from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) positions south of the Blue Line of Separation, the buffer zone patrolled by peacekeepers between Israel and Lebanon.
Holding the line
To avoid further escalation, the mission, together with the UN Special Coordinator for the country (UNSCOL), remains in close contact with both sides.
The head of UN Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is currently in the region visiting UNIFIL headquarters and the Blue Line.
Recalling the progress made since the ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants came into force in November 2024, the UN stressed that the cessation of hostilities agreement, instead of unilateral actions, should be used to prevent and ensure security on both sides of the separation line.