Border crossings and aid delivering vrs. international bartering

Attention will turn to the Security Council session in the coming days, where a new conflict is expected to break out between Western countries on the one hand, and Russia and China on the other hand, over humanitarian aid and the mechanism for bringing relief materials into the Syrian regions.

In 2014, the Security Council approved cross-border aid for the first time, which also included entry from Jordan and Iraq. While the transfer of aid through the two countries was halted in January 2020, due to Russia and China using their veto right in the Security Council to allow the entry of UN aid through these two countries.

Despite Russia's opposition at the time to the transfer of aid through the Tal Koçer/Al Yaroubiyah border crossing between the Autonomous Administration and Başûr Kurdistan, it did not oppose the entry of aid through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which is controlled by mercenary groups affiliated with the Turkish occupation.

The crossings... Barter and blackmail under humanitarian slogans

Syrian dissident Fouad Hamira pointed out that "Western countries have never stopped using everything under the name of humanity. All forms of exploitation, control and restriction of humanity have been exploited by Western countries. We do not believe these false slogans."

He added: "The Tal Koçer crossing serves nearly 5 million people and is closed under funny humanitarian terms. The Tel Koçer crossing is one of the very important crossings to meet the needs of the residents in this area."

He explained, "Some say that it is a separatist area. More than 50 percent of the population are Arabs. During my visit to the area, I saw that they participate in all the domains of the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Council. There are bilateral presidencies in which there are always Arabs."

unjustified siege

With the expiration of the authorization for the entry of aid through the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the 10th of this month, the UN Security Council must hold a session to discuss the UN mandate to enter humanitarian aid into Syria.

The United Nations envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, has joined advocates of maintaining the mandate to deliver humanitarian aid to Syrians across the border without Damascus, which Moscow rejects and is seen as a test of its relationship with the new US administration.

On Friday, Ireland and Norway, responsible for the file at the United Nations, handed over a draft resolution to the remaining thirteen members of the Council. A copy of the project has been obtained by AFP.

The draft resolution calls for an extension for one year in the authorization of the delivery of aid through the Bab al-Hawa crossing in the Idlib region, which is controlled by mercenary groups affiliated with the Turkish occupation, as well as the re-authorization of the Tel Koçer / Al Yaroubiya crossing to deliver aid to North and East Syria through Iraq.

Syrian dissident Samir Azzam spoke about this, saying: "There is no justification for besieging a Syrian area inhabited by about 6 million people (northern and eastern Syria), in addition to the approximately two million Syrians who were displaced from Idlib governorate during the attack of government forces and Russian warplanes last year, in addition to the displaced from the regime-controlled areas. Because of the severe living crisis in his areas, he sought to work and live in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

He added: "The siege of millions of people is an immoral act and contrary to the most basic human rights, and the reason for the siege of the Autonomous Administration areas by Russia is pressure to return the region to the regime's authority."

Russian insistence on refusal and a Western warning

The issue of cross-border authorization was discussed at the recent summit in Geneva between US Presidents Joe Biden and Russian Vladimir Putin, but they did not reveal a specific position on the file.

Moscow has insisted since the beginning of the year on ending the UN mandate, and Moscow considers that the passage of international aid through Damascus can compensate for cross-border aid, which is rejected by Western countries and the United Nations.

In a statement to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the mercenaries of "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" in northwestern Syria of obstructing the passage of humanitarian aid through border crossings "with the complicity of Ankara".

In the statement, Lavrov also accused Western donors of "blackmail" by threatening to cut humanitarian funding to Syria if the mandate to send aid through the Bab al-Hawa crossing is not extended.

In a statement on Friday, Amnesty International's Diana Samaan stressed that halting cross-border aid would have "drastic humanitarian consequences," adding: "We call on the Security Council to renew the authorization for humanitarian access through Bab al-Hawa and to reopen Bab al-Salameh and al-Yarubiyah crossings."

Samir Azzam pointed out that "Russia's refusal to open Tel Koçer crossing between Iraq and the Autonomous Administration areas liberated from terrorism because it is not subject to Astana's swaps, and the Russian goal is to pressure the return of the Autonomous Administration areas under the regime's authority."

On the UN Security Council session, Azzam said: "The council is in a state of paralysis due to the Russian and Chinese veto, and we call on the international community, with its governmental and civil bodies, not to leave the Syrians in need, which may turn into famine in the coming months."

Azzam added, "The Russian president sought, in his recent meeting with the US president in Geneva, to reach - with the support of his partners in the Astana process, a settlement with America to solve the Syrian crisis, but this was not achieved for them because the US president insisted that the final solution to the Syrian crisis is by applying UN Security Council Resolution 2254 to form a transitional body rule, writing a new constitution for Syria, and holding free internationally monitored parliamentary and presidential elections.

SDC representative in Washington: We informed the US administration of the need to open the Tel Koçer crossing

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, in a statement issued on Sunday, July 4, called on the international community and the United Nations to separate the humanitarian situation from the political interests of some countries, and to contribute to saving the besieged people by supporting the efforts to open the Tel Koçer crossing, and said: “Opening the crossing will restore correcting the course of international and international responsibilities towards the people of the region.

The camps of North and East Syria host displaced people from the countryside of Aleppo, Homs, Damascus countryside, Deir ez-Zor, Idlib and other areas, not to mention Iraqi refugees, and camps housing families of ISIS mercenaries. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from Afrin, Serê Kaniyê, and occupied Girê Spî / Tel Abyad, as a result of the Turkish occupation attacks in 2018-2019 on the region.

The representative of the Syrian Democratic Council in Washington, Sinam Muhammad, indicated in statements to our agency that "the issue of crossings was strongly present in the summit meeting between the American and Russian presidents, where in 2014 the Security Council approved the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people across the border without the consent of Damascus and now after the presidential elections, Moscow opposes this decision.

In this context, she explained, "It seems that European pressure is now on this matter, as France has stated that they will not send any European aid if the crossings are not opened, and this will affect the needy in light of the deterioration of the Syrian economy."

"We explained to the US administration the necessity of opening Al-Yarubiyah crossing to deliver aid to the regions of North and East Syria, given the health conditions in light of the spread of the Corona epidemic and the presence of displacement camps after the occupation of the areas of Ras al-Ain, Tal Abyad and Afrin as well."

She added, "It is necessary for humanitarian support to reach, especially in light of the presence of the al-Hol camp, which is crowded with children and women. Therefore, it is necessary to open the Yarubiyah crossing to save thousands of Syrians in the area."

'A strategic test that will determine Moscow's desire to reach a solution to the crisis or not'

During her speech, Sinam Muhammad sent a message to Russia, in which she said: "This is a strategic test for Russia, and it will determine Moscow's desire to reach understandings to resolve the Syrian crisis. We demand the opening of the Yarubiyah crossing so that aid can reach hundreds of thousands of displaced people and refugees in order to avoid a humanitarian crisis, especially in light of the worsening economic crisis that all of Syria is going through.

J.O

ANHA