War Recovery Efforts Disrupted

Despite the end of a nearly 14-year civil war that displaced more than 14 million people and left half a million dead, Syria continues to struggle. More than 130,000 people remain missing, and growing calls for justice seek accountability for wartime atrocities.

In the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad’s December 2024 ouster, the country’s efforts to document atrocities and locate missing persons have been severely hampered by recent cuts to U.S. foreign aid. 

The White Helmets, a humanitarian organization founded in 2013 by volunteers working in rebel areas, are among the most affected. Known for their distinctive headgear, they are an internationally recognized first responder force and were repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for rescuing civilians during the civil war. Since the war’s end, and following the appointment of their founder Raed Saleh to Syria’s cabinet as Minister of Emergencies and Disaster Management, the White Helmets have expanded their mission nationwide—quadrupling their operations to serve all 20 million Syrians. They now confront the grim legacy of war, from locating mass graves and clearing cluster munitions to rebuilding critical infrastructure such as roads and water systems.

However, last month’s dismantling of USAID by the Trump administration abruptly cut off millions in funding to humanitarian organizations worldwide—including the White Helmets. USAID had been their largest donor. The organization lost a five-year, $30 million contract initiated in 2023. Though more than half the funds had already been spent, $12 million was left unallocated. With an annual budget typically around $50 million, the loss comes at a critical moment as they attempt to scale up post-war operations.

The White Helmets are not alone. Save the Children reported on April 16 that more than 400,000 children in Syria are now at risk of “severe malnutrition” following the aid suspension, which forced the organization to downsize its programs.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, which is working to bring justice to victims’ families by gathering and preserving government documents from the Assad regime—some of which may serve as evidence in future war crimes trials—has also suffered from the aid cuts, slowing progress on crucial accountability efforts.

Article by Lily Yao