The siege exacerbates the social conditions in Shahba Canton

The local administration body of Afrin region announced the cessation of all service work over the lack of fuel oil because unjust siege imposed by the Damascus government on Shahba. Meanwhile, the Education Authority of Afrin region announced the suspension of school hours for a week.

4 December, 2022 08:21

SHAHBA\Judy Sipan

The Damascus government continues its systematic policies against Shahba Canton where it prevents the entry of fuel, medicine and foodstuffs into the Canton.

For more than 2 months, the "Fourth Division" of the Damascus government, stationed at the entrances to Shahba Canton, has tightened the siege.

School suspension

On this, the co-chair of the Education Authority of Afrin region, Berivan Khalil, said in a statement to ANHA agency, that they "suspended school hours in Shahba Canton for a week, due to the lack of fuel oil."

And she noted that "if the Damascus government continues to tighten the siege and prevent the entry of fuel to Shahba, the suspension of school hours will be extended."

It also called for "lifting the suffocating siege on Shahba Canton, because of its great repercussions on the daily lives of students and families."

All service work stopped

In turn, Faiq Ahmed, the co-chair of the Local Administration of the Afrin region, said, during a statement to ANHA agency, that "all service work and machinery, including electricity generators, stopped on Saturday, as a result of the lack of fuel in the Canton."

Ahmed warned of "humanitarian disasters against more than 200,000 citizens, if the Damascus government continues its systematic starvation policy against Shahba."

He called on "international powers to put pressure on the Damascus government to lift the siege on the Canton."

It is noteworthy that the price of a liter of diesel had reached 7 thousand SP in Shahba Canton. As for the price of a litter of gasoline, it reached 15,000 Syrian pounds. As for one gas cylinder, its price reached more than 100,000 Syrian pounds.

It is worth noting that the Damascus government has imposed a siege on Shahba Canton for more than 4 years, and tightens it on the cusp of the winter season every year.

It allowed only 20 diesel tanks to enter once every 2 months, out of 60 tanks every 15 days to meet the needs of the Canton, which includes 5 camps for the IDPs, in addition to the indigenous people of Shahba Canton and the displaced.

It is noteworthy that 100 tanks of heating diesel were to be distributed to the people and the IDPs during the winter season, by the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Afrin Region, but it was unable to secure heating fuel; Because of the siege imposed by the Damascus government.

A.K

ANHA