The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) revealed on Thursday, August 7, the reason behind the withdrawal of an aid convoy provided by the Mesopotamia Relief and Development Organization, registered in eastern Syria, while it was en route to Suwayda.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the Red Crescent explained that its policy requires reviewing any items added to its convoys to verify the quality and expiration dates of supplies in order to preserve the organization’s credibility.

According to the statement, Mesopotamia had requested to add two rented trucks to a Red Crescent convoy it had prepared to enter Suwayda. The Red Crescent requested the trucks be offloaded at its warehouses so the items could be reloaded onto its own trucks—while keeping the Mesopotamia logo on the packages. The NGO refused and withdrew the trucks back to the city of al- Hasakah.

The Red Crescent emphasized that it does not obligate any organization to join its convoys and has never ceased delivering aid to affected areas in southern Syria. The most recent deliveries were to Daraa and Suwayda on Wednesday, August 6.

Statement by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (Arabic-language post, published August 7, 2025)

Return of the Convoy to al- Hasakah

The Mesopotamia Relief and Development Organization published a statement on Facebook explaining that, after gathering 55 tons of essential food items for southern Syria, a team traveled to Damascus on Friday, August 1, with an initial humanitarian shipment.

The shipment was prepared in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in Damascus, which had formally requested aid delivery to Suwayda, where shortages in food and medical supplies are creating a dire humanitarian situation.

The NGO stated that it expected to coordinate with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent for access to affected areas and to distribute aid in cooperation with local entities and organizations, once security and local approvals were obtained.

However, the organization was surprised by the Red Crescent’s demand to take full control of the shipment and distribute it independently—without allowing Mesopotamia staff or volunteers to accompany the convoy or oversee the distribution. This, the statement said, was incompatible with the organization’s commitment to transparency toward donors and beneficiaries.

As a result, Mesopotamia decided to return the shipment to al- Hasakah until a distribution mechanism is agreed upon that guarantees direct NGO involvement and transparency.

Statement by the Mesopotamia Relief and Development Organization regarding the aid convoy withdrawal. (Arabic-language post, published on Facebook – August 7, 2025)

Humanitarian Aid Resumes Entry into Suwayda

Humanitarian convoys have resumed entry into Suwayda through the Busra al-Sham humanitarian corridor in eastern Daraa. The crossing reopened on Monday, August 4, after a 24-hour closure due to recent security tensions.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Daraa reported that a convoy of 20 trucks from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, as well as 29 trucks from a joint UN and Red Cross mission, entered Suwayda in coordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

The aid convoy included food, flour, and vegetables. It was the first convoy to reach the province after recent clashes between local factions on one side and tribal fighters and internal security forces on the other.