A fundraising campaign aimed at rebuilding Syria’s northern city of Aleppo has raised $150 million, local officials said, as the country faces the long and costly task of reconstruction after more than a decade of war.
According to Turkish daily Yeni Şafak, the campaign was organised under the Aleppo Governorate and concluded this week after mobilising donations intended to finance reconstruction, development, and restoration projects across the city.
Officials said the funds would be directed towards repairing damaged infrastructure and public services.
Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city and a major commercial and industrial centre, suffered extensive destruction during the civil war, which began in 2011.
Large parts of the city were reduced to rubble during years of intense fighting, particularly between 2012 and 2016, leaving housing, utilities, and historic districts severely damaged.
Local authorities said the newly raised funds would be used to address urgent reconstruction needs, including basic infrastructure and essential services.
Similar fundraising initiatives have reportedly been launched in other Syrian provinces as the country seeks to begin recovery efforts following years of conflict, economic collapse, and international sanctions.
The fundraising announcement came amid continued regional tensions and security challenges. Syrian officials accompanying the campaign cited ongoing Israeli military activity in Syrian territory, which they said has complicated reconstruction efforts.
Government data referenced by Yeni Şafak claimed that more than 1,000 Israeli air strikes and 400 cross-border raids have taken place since December 2024.
Following the fall of the Assad regime, Israel expanded its military presence in the occupied Golan Heights by moving into the UN-monitored demilitarised buffer zone, a step Damascus has said violates the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Israel has said its actions are aimed at addressing security threats.
Despite the scale of the funds raised, analysts and officials have cautioned that the amount represents only a small fraction of what is required to rebuild Aleppo.
Estimates for the city’s full reconstruction run into the billions of dollars, with damage spanning residential neighbourhoods, industrial zones, hospitals, schools, and cultural heritage sites.
Rebuilding efforts are further complicated by Syria’s fragile security situation, ongoing economic hardship, and the absence of large-scale international funding. Western sanctions and political uncertainty have limited access to foreign investment, while much of the country’s infrastructure remains in disrepair.
Nevertheless, local officials described the Aleppo fundraising campaign as an important step toward mobilising domestic resources and political momentum for reconstruction.
They said sustained investment, improved security conditions, and long-term planning would be required for the city to recover fully from the devastation of the war.