DAMASCUS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Sporadic clashes, drone strikes, and ground fighting continued in southern Syria's Sweida province and surrounding areas despite a declared truce, with the number of displaced reaching over 145,000, the United Nations said Wednesday.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the violence between July 20 and 22 has included mortar attacks and aerial surveillance, further injuring civilians and forcing thousands to flee. Most of the displaced have remained within Sweida province, while others have sought safety in neighboring Daraa and Rural Damascus governorates.

Access to basic services remains severely disrupted across Sweida. The UN reported widespread outages in electricity, water, fuel, and telecommunications, while food insecurity is worsening due to market disruptions and the closure of bakeries.

Humanitarian organizations have begun responding to the crisis, delivering medical care, protection services, food, clean water, and non-food items to affected communities, although access constraints continue to hamper efforts.

Two batches of aid distributions from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have reached parts of Sweida and Salkhad districts, providing food, fuel, and medical supplies.

The UN warned that displacement is still ongoing and that overcrowded shelters, poor sanitation facilities, and contamination from explosive ordnance are compounding protection risks for already vulnerable populations. ■