WASHINGTON — In a swift policy reversal, the White House has moved to reinstate several emergency food aid programs, including critical support for conflict-stricken regions of Syria. The decision was communicated through an internal email from Jeremy Lewin, acting deputy director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), instructing staff to reverse recent shutdowns of aid operations.
The reinstated aid is seen as a crucial step in maintaining the fragile stability of northeast Syria, where U.S. assistance—both military and humanitarian—has played a pivotal role. Camps such as al-Hol and al-Roj, which house tens of thousands of individuals, overwhelmingly families of ISIS fighters, are heavily reliant on U.S. funding to remain operational.
This aid covers not only basic humanitarian needs such as food and shelter, but also supports the security infrastructure of the camps. Maintaining order and preventing mass-escape attempts and further radicalization through on-going programs remain top priorities for camp administrators and local authorities. There is fear that ISIS sleeper cells could take advantage of the chaos to regroup and break thousands more fighters out of prisons and camps. In addition, Turkish aggression in the border areas distracts the Syrian Democratic Forces who are responsible for countering these issues.
In light of this delicate situation, officials and humanitarian workers alike have welcomed the decision as a timely intervention to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria.