9 schools, 4 centers designated to accommodate Shahba IDPs

The Directorate of Education in Qamishlo and the Shahba Civil Council have reached an agreement to vacate several schools that had been used to accommodate displaced families from Shahba and designate nine schools and four centers to house families who remain there, as the 2026–2027 academic year begins.

27 September, 2026 15:04

QAMISHLO

BERITAN ERLAN

Currently, 1,350 families from the Shahba area in the Aleppo countryside, who were displaced in successive waves between 2013, 2018 and 2024, are living in the Jazira region and Kobani. The families want to return to their homes but are unwilling to do so as long as insecurity persists in the area due to the presence of Turkey-backed factions.

According to residents, these factions in Shahba have treated Kurds arbitrarily, prompting the displaced families to demand security guarantees before returning home. They also called for their military forces, the Kurdish Front, to accompany them to the area.

Of the 1,350 families, 700 are living in Qamishlo, 300 in Hasakah, and 350 in Amuda, Dêrik and Kobani. Of the 700 families living in Qamishlo, 210 had been using 17 schools as shelters.

Ahead of the start of the 2026–2027 academic year, the Directorate of Education asked the displaced families on August 16, 2026, to vacate the schools. However, the families rejected the decision, stressing that they had no alternative shelter and calling for suitable alternatives to be provided.

Following a series of meetings and discussions, the Directorate of Education in Qamishlo and the Shahba Civil Council reached an agreement to vacate 8 of the 17 schools and designate 9 schools and 4 additional centers to accommodate displaced people from Shahba.

The 210 families will be distributed among the following schools: Lahdo Masoud, Ma'an bin Zaida, Al-Hurriya, Ibrahim Hanano, Ferhan Ali, Kamel Hindi, Shervan, Mohammed Salim Khalaf and Gaza, in addition to the following centers: the Old Educational Complex, Al-Sahara Hotel, the Old National Hospital and Al-Hilaliya Housing.

The process of vacating the schools and relocating the displaced families to the designated sites is currently underway.

Meanwhile, the Shahba Civil Council confirmed that no aid is currently being provided to the displaced by humanitarian or relief organizations, reiterating residents’ calls for a safe return to their homes.

ANHA

9 schools, 4 centers designated to accommodate Shahba IDPs

Of the 1,350 families, 700 are living in Qamishlo, 300 in Hasakah, and 350 in Amuda, Dêrik and Kobani. Of the 700 families living in Qamishlo, 210 had been using 17 schools as shelters.