Shocking report: The destruction of Aleppo and Daraa between heavy numbers and an increasingly complex reality

The Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), has unveiled  one of the most extensive field studies to assess the damage to infrastructure, to give a clear picture of the extent of the destruction that affected the governorates of Aleppo and Daraa during the years of the Syrian revolution.

Aleppo A city devastated by

According to the report, 58.7% of the houses in Aleppo were damaged, equivalent to 197,133 houses between total and partial destruction. The damage also affected 1,477 schools, almost half of the schools in the governorate, while 9 hospitals were out of service at varying rates.

Places of worship were not spared from the destruction, with 1,118 mosques damaged by 29.8%, in addition to 11 churches by 14%. As for the ovens, the number of ovens damaged reached 91, reflecting the pressure on basic services.

Daraa. Heavy numbers and a more complex reality

In Daraa, the picture looked even grim: more than 95,000 homes were damaged, including 33,400 completely destroyed, and 60,000 homes damaged to varying degrees.

The report also recorded that 55 ovens and 572 schools were damaged, including 63 schools that were completely destroyed, and in the health sector, 63 hospitals and 8 clinics were out of service, while 617 other health facilities were damaged, and 6 churches and 225 mosques were damaged, including 56 mosques classified as destroyed or semi-destroyed.

A step towards a national database

The Ministry confirmed that these studies come within a plan to prepare similar assessments in all governorates, with the aim of building an accurate database that is used in planning the recovery and reconstruction phase, and directing the efforts of international and local organizations according to clear priorities.

 UN Habitat  supports housing and urban development issues in 18 Arab countries, including Syria, through technical support and capacity building.