Safety conditions in Syria vary by location and can change quickly. Earthquakes are especially severe in the northwest. Floods affect river and coastal areas, drought and water scarcity persist in the northeast and Euphrates region, and wildfires are concentrated in coastal governorates. Extreme heat, winter storms, dust storms, landslides and failures of essential infrastructure can create additional risks. Crime-related risks include kidnapping, robbery, extortion, property theft, violence, exploitation and online fraud. The security situation has remained volatile since the December 2024 change in authority, and reported crime patterns differ between governorates, cities and areas under different control. Police and Ministry of Interior channels exist, but access, response times and support for victims are uneven. Emergency warning, rescue, evacuation, aid and recovery depend on local access and coordination. Relevant actors can include the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, governorate authorities, Civil Defence, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and international partners. A safety assessment therefore needs to distinguish the local disaster exposure, current crime pattern, available communications and the organisations able to respond in that area.
Safety in Syria
Safety in Syria involves both sudden disasters and security threats linked to crime and violence. Disaster risks include earthquakes, floods, drought, extreme heat, wildfires, winter storms, dust storms and failures of essential infrastructure, while crime risks include kidnapping, robbery, extortion, theft, exploitation and online fraud. Conditions and available assistance differ sharply by governorate, city and control area.
Tip
Treat safety in Syria as a location-specific risk decision, not as a country-wide label. Identify the relevant governorate, city and control area, then assess disaster exposure, crime patterns, communication access and the organisations that can respond. A workable plan should account for uneven access and support.