Fears of soil salinity in al-Raqqa

AHMED AL_ASSAF /AL_RAQQA

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011, Turkey, under the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party has fought the Syrian people in various forms either in Agency's way or directly. Today Turkey is fighting the Syrian people by confiscating the Euphrates and not leaving the Syrian people's share of the agreed water between Turkey and Syria since the last century

During the period of control by IS mercenaries and mercenary factions supported byTurkey did not prvented them from Euphrates River, according to the farmers, After defeating Islamic State 's gangs by sacrifices of Syrian Democratic Forces SDF fighters ,Turkey occasionally restrain Euphrates water

According to the Syrian-Turkish agreement in 1987 is a temporary agreement to share the Euphrates River between Syria and Turkey during the period of filling the basin of the Ataturk Dam, which extends for 5 years, the agreement was signed on 17 July 1987 and provided for the commitment of the Turkish side to provide an annual rate of more than 500 cubic meters in The second at the Turkish-Syrian border temporarily until the agreement on the final distribution of the Euphrates River between the three countries located on its banks.

Despite an agreement between Syria and Turkey, Turkey is restrian Euphrates water. Due to lack of water flow, there are concerns about the lack of production of agricultural land on the banks of the Euphrates River, not to mention the salinization of wells and the salinity of the soil and the lack of cultivation in the coming years.

According to agricultural engineers in the region that the drought of wells and restrain water Euphrates by Turkey may lead to a significant decline in the agricultural sector in the region is a disaster because the people of the region rely on agriculture and the Euphrates banks basket of food to Syria, and the lack of water in the wells caused the high rate of salinity in Water may become unfit for irrigation and may lead to soil salinization.

According the farmers that wells in the past did not reduce water , during dominiation of Islamic State's gangs period, but today, with the Euphrates water shortage, the wells are drying up.

The farmers whose name is Mohammed al-Sakran from Raqqa Samra said "We are facing a problem in declaine of the Euphrates water. Most of us rely on irrigation from wells. The wells were previously operating 24 hours without stopping. Today, however, with Turkey's water reserves, these wells operate for limited hours. We appeal to the international community to intervene and put an end. For Turkish violations. "

Farmer Ahmed Ramdan of the village of Tawi Rumman said: "With decline of the level of Euphrates River, the well water is not suitable for watering the crop, and we appeal to the international community to intervene and give the Syrian people their right of the Euphrates river ."

Most of the people of al-Raqqa depend on agriculture for their daily livelihood.

(T/S)

ANHA