2nd step of DAA Crisis Cell for those arriving from Lebanon

The war that took place between Hezbollah and Israel forced many Syrian families to return from Lebanon towards Syria and the areas of the Autonomous Administration, which prompted the Autonomous Administration to take measures to receive them.

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria announced the formation of a crisis cell for those returning from Lebanon, which works to receive and facilitate the arrival of Syrians to the region, in addition to allocating shelter centers for those from outside the region.

The co-chair of the Office of Camps and Displaced Persons in the Social Affairs and Toilers Authority in the Democratic Autonomous Administration and a member of the Crisis Cell, Sheikhmos Ahmed, told ANHA's agency: "After forming the Crisis Cell, the cell began distributing a statement at the Tabqa crossing to those coming and returning from Lebanon, and a number of returning families were received and placed in shelter centers, especially those who do not have family, relatives or homes in North and East Syria."

Sheikhmos Ahmed added: "The cell facilitated the entry of returnees and funerals and the delivery of these funerals to their hometowns. The institutions concerned with this crisis will do their work, in addition to the Department of Foreign Relations, which will communicate with the Lebanese government and the Autonomous Administration's representation in Lebanon, and communicate with international bodies concerned with refugees."

Ahmed confirmed that the door is open to returnees, and the crossings are ready 24 hours a day to receive returning families, unlike the crossings of the Damascus government, which close in the evening. So far, 7,703 people have arrived in the North and East Syria region returning from Lebanon through the Democratic Autonomous Administration initiative, including 12 Lebanese, in addition to 7 bodies of people from Raqqa, Tabqa and Manbij who were killed in the Israeli bombing.

Regarding the practical steps, Sheikhmous Ahmed confirmed: "The practical steps are first to secure shelters, equip the camps and provide daily basic services for the returnees at the Tabqa crossing," adding: "There is a committee assigned by the Social Affairs and Labor Authority to provide water and basic materials, and the committee has started its work and is providing all services and supplies for the returnees from Lebanon."

Regarding the forms of shelters, tents will be built for the families returning from Lebanon and they will be distributed to 3 camps; they are the Nawruz al-Arisha camp in al-Jazira canton, and the Adnaniyah camp in the western part of Raqqa canton, according to Sheikhmous Ahmed.

Ahmed pointed out that the majority of the returnees from Lebanon are from the North and East Syria region, and they have relatives and families who are from the region, so they head to their areas and families.

Regarding the incoming families who do not have homes in the North and East Syria region and come from cities inside Syria, Ahmed explained that the Autonomous Administration is working to secure the Syrian families, and they will be placed in the Adnaniyah camp in Raqqa or the Arisha camp in the Jazira canton.

Regarding the demand to open the Yarubiyah crossing, Sheikhmous Ahmed indicated: "Despite the Autonomous Administration's appeals to international bodies to open the Yarubiyah crossing in order to allow aid to enter the region, so far there has been no response to opening the crossing by international organizations."

Sheikhmous Ahmed noted: "In these sensitive circumstances that our region in North and East Syria is going through and those returning from Lebanon, the region needs a main crossing to allow aid to enter, since aid coming from the regime's areas is being seized. Therefore, we hope that the organizations and the Security Council will reopen the Yarubiyah crossing to allow aid to enter directly from the crossing."

T/ Satt.

ANHA