Co-Chair of Economy Council in Kobani: Siege disrupts institutional services

Kobani, which has been under siege since January 20 by factions affiliated with the Syrian Interim Government and backed by the Turkish state, is experiencing a severe shortage of basic necessities, medicines, and infant formula. The city’s residents and institutions are struggling greatly under these conditions. Among the institutions that have declared a state of emergency to confront the repercussions of the situation is the Economy Council.

In this context, Marwa Drea’i, Co-Chair of the Economy Council in Kobani, spoke to the ANHA agency.

She explained that they are making efforts to secure basic living needs for the region’s residents, saying: “We are working day and night to provide people’s essential needs. At the beginning of the war in the region, our people were forced to flee their homes and settled in Kobani. Therefore, the Economy Council mobilized all its efforts to secure firewood and basic supplies.”

She also addressed the condition of warehouses, mills, and bakeries, stating: “More than 36 days have passed since the siege of Kobani, and until now we cannot operate the things we had previously secured. As is known, bakeries constantly require maintenance, but due to the lack of necessary tools for repairs here, equipment breaks down. The same applies to electric generators, which also require maintenance, but we cannot find a solution because of the siege.”

She noted that one factory has ceased operations, saying: “Our factory affiliated with the Cooperatives Department for bag production has stopped working due to the siege.”

She pointed out that fuel reserves are low, stating: “The stock is limited, and when it does not arrive on time, bakeries cannot operate. Therefore, we face major difficulties in providing their allocations.”

She added that some bakeries have stopped operating since the beginning of the war, saying: “Before the war, we had 30 bakeries in the Euphrates Canton. Now only 10 bakeries are operating. We produce around 70 tons of bread daily in order to provide bread for everyone.”

For his part, citizen Ali Mishko said that Kobani has been under a severe siege for 36 days, adding: “We are going through difficult conditions. With the arrival of the month of Ramadan, basic necessities are no longer available, and prices have risen significantly because of the siege.”

Mishko emphasized that their demand is to lift the siege, saying: “This is our only demand. We do not want assistance from any other party; we only want the siege on Kobani to be lifted. We remain steadfast and will confront all obstacles.”

A-H

ANHA