Joseph Lahdou: Turkey wages fierce war against 5 m people by cutting off fresh water

The deputy co-presidency of the Executive Council of North and East Syria, Joseph Lahdou, warned of a catastrophe threatening the lives of one million people in Hasakah canton, after Turkey cut off water in the canton again, which contains hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the Turkish occupation.

21 April, 2021 05:12

RAQQA, Ruba Ali

The administration of Al-Hasakah canton had declared a state of emergency to confront Turkey's cutting of drinking water, and announced that it would provide drinking water through water tanks to the citizens.

Alouk water station is located in the occupied town of Serekaniye, and Turkey and its mercenaries deliberately cut off water from Hasakah occasionally, in parallel with reducing flow of water levels of the Euphrates River to the Syrian lands.

In this regard, Joseph Lahdou, deputy co-presidency of the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria, said, “This time, the lack of electricity was invoked and they were given electricity by the Autonomous Administration permanently in order to operate Alouk station. The electricity that is sent to Alouk station is not fully operated. Rather, it is taken for the benefit of cities and villages to be invested in serving the gangs in the occupied areas, thus Alouk pump is unable to pump enough water.

Lahdou pointed out, "This water war waged against the regions of North and East Syria in general and on the city of Hasakah in particular is an inhuman war because it is a human-directed war against human life."

The deputy co-presidency of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria added, "This war is one of the most dangerous forms of wars for civil society, for people and for the sick in all aspects of life. The water war is a comprehensive war that is waged in general, and it even affects Iraq up to Basra." So instead of pumping 500 square meters per second, only 200 square meters per second are pumped, and this leads to water scarcity in the Euphrates River and severe damage to agricultural crops.

Lahdou called on the international community to consider this matter. In a related context, he said, "The water level of the Euphrates River has been reduced to a degree which will affect the irrigation of agricultural lands, the environment and animals."

He recalled that the Turkish state, more than 40 years ago, violated international laws with regard to the rivers passing between countries (the Tigris and Euphrates), as they mainly violate Syria and Iraq, and violate all international laws and all agreements reached by all countries.

"After the establishment of the Autonomous Administration, this war against more than 5 million citizens became fiercer, and Turkey started using this method in the Euphrates River plain up to Basra, and reducing the minimum flow in the river," he added.

Lahdou continued, "There is silence from the international community, and there are no warnings or condemnations from the World Health Organization to intervene in what the Turkish state is doing, which is acting as it wants in its war against the Syrian people, so we criticize it for that."

J.O

ANHA