3,569 employees await unpaid salaries in Hasakah

Following the agreement reached between the Syrian Transitional Government and the Autonomous Administration on January 29, 2026, and the subsequent measures concerning the integration of institutions and employees affiliated with both sides, several service institutions in Hasakah Governorate and a number of its cities have experienced a significant decline in their operations. Much of the work previously carried out by these institutions for residents has been disrupted, while thousands of employees have gone without salaries and financial entitlements for three months.

The repercussions of the period following the agreement have extended beyond delayed salary payments and uncertainty over the fate of employees to affect everyday services in the city. Garbage collection, street cleaning, sewer maintenance and drainage cleaning have all declined, while many activities previously carried out by municipalities and water institutions have been suspended due to halted operating budgets and fuel shortages.

Thousands of Employees Await Salaries

In Hasakah city, the number of Autonomous Administration employees at the Water Establishment stands at 319, according to a source within the institution who requested anonymity. This compares with approximately 1,500 employees affiliated with the Syrian government. The People's Municipality employs around 1,750 people.

Although employee data from both sides has been collected in preparation for the integration process, procedures to unify the workforces and regularize their employment status have yet to be completed. Employees have also not received their salaries or financial entitlements for three months.

The crisis is not limited to Hasakah city but also affects al-Shaddadi, al-Alwa, al-Suwar, al-Arisha, al-Hol and Tal Kocher. Employee data has been collected in these areas in preparation for the integration process, but workers are still awaiting their financial entitlements, with delays reaching approximately 11 months.

The source said salary delays had worsened employees' living conditions, forcing many to rely on debt to meet their daily needs, amid uncertainty over when payments would be made and what mechanism would be adopted to settle their employment status.

Many Municipal Services Suspended

On the service front, the People's Municipality in Hasakah has experienced a significant decline in its operations, with a large proportion of its activities suspended due to the suspension of its budget and a lack of fuel needed to operate vehicles and equipment.

This has had a clear impact on the city's cleanliness, as piles of garbage and waste have accumulated in Hasakah's streets. Many tractors and vehicles used to collect and transport waste have stopped operating because of insufficient fuel.

Sewer maintenance and drainage cleaning have also been suspended or scaled back. As a result, many residents have been forced to purchase fuel for sewage tanker trucks to clear blocked sewers after the relevant authorities became unable to provide these services as usual.

The disruption within these institutions is therefore no longer merely an administrative problem related to the integration process. It has become a reality directly affecting residents' daily lives, forcing them to bear additional costs to obtain services that municipal and service institutions previously provided.

a.k

ANHA