(MENAFN) Despite a ceasefire announcement, violent clashes, drone strikes, and intense ground combat persist across Syria's southern Sweida province and adjacent areas, the United Nations reported Wednesday, revealing that the number of displaced residents has now exceeded 145,000.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that between July 20 and 22, the region experienced mortar shelling and aerial surveillance, which inflicted further injuries on civilians and triggered a mass exodus. While many have stayed within Sweida, thousands have crossed into the neighboring governorates of Daraa and Rural Damascus in search of safety.

Access to essential services across Sweida has been critically impaired. According to the UN, residents face widespread shortages in electricity, fuel, water, and telecommunications. Food insecurity is mounting as local markets falter and bakeries shut down, exacerbating the humanitarian strain.

Aid organizations have mobilized in response, distributing emergency medical assistance, clean water, food supplies, and non-food items. However, limited access due to ongoing hostilities continues to restrict the scope of relief efforts.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) has managed to deliver two rounds of aid to parts of the Sweida and Salkhad districts, providing vital food, fuel, and medical supplies.

The UN cautioned that displacement is far from over. With shelters overcrowded and sanitation facilities deteriorating, vulnerable communities are increasingly exposed to threats—especially from unexploded ordnance and other protection hazards.

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