Displaced People from Afrin and al-Shahba Demand Safe Return and Improved Living Conditions

Displaced people from the Afrin and al-Shahba cantons residing in Raqqa Canton expressed their daily suffering under displacement conditions in shelter centers and demanded that a safe return to their homes be secured.

Displaced woman Alia Mustafa said, “Most of the displaced wish to return to their homes, but the lack of security constitutes a major obstacle, amid the continued thefts and violations, the presence of detentions at checkpoints, and arrests without knowledge of detainees’ whereabouts, in addition to missing persons about whom no information is available.”

She added that what is circulated on social media confirms these concerns, pointing to cases of disappearance involving well-known individuals, and noting that even those who attempted to inquire about them were themselves subjected to disappearance.

Alia explained that the conditions of the displaced inside shelter centers are “extremely dire,” as entire families have been living for nearly a year in a single room used for sleeping, eating, and bathing at the same time, amid a lack of basic life necessities.

She also pointed to the poor quality of the diesel fuel used for heating, the presence of families who still do not have heaters, and a severe lack of cleanliness inside the centers.

She mentioned that her son is ill and needs a medical examination, but she lacks the financial means to take him to a doctor. She added that infant formula allocations do not exceed six cans per month, which is insufficient, and that the monthly allowance of 100 US dollars does not cover basic needs such as food, water, and others.

For her part, displaced woman Stervan Assad Abdo said that families hope that a return to their lands and homes will be soon, but information circulating from internal sources confirms the absence of security. She referred to the disappearance of her brother, noting that reports of his death have circulated without any confirmed information or knowledge of his fate to this day.

She added that most displaced people lost all their belongings after being subjected to looting, returning them to square one, and called on the concerned authorities to ensure a safe return and to implement the March 10 agreement as soon as possible, given its direct benefit to the people.

Meanwhile, displaced woman Leila Ali said that they have been displaced for nine years and have lost much during this period, stressing her rejection of the repetition of displacement scenes once again. She added: “Enough displacement. We want to return to our homes and reclaim our rights.