Displaced residents of Serê Kaniyê call for faster returns as Winter approaches

The suffering of displaced people at Washokani Camp in the Hasakah countryside is worsening. The camp hosts more than 2,000 families displaced from Serê Kaniyê and the countryside of Tel Tamr and Zirghan. Humanitarian aid remains scarce, living conditions are deteriorating as winter approaches, and diesel fuel is unavailable. Changing weather conditions are further exacerbating their hardship inside the tents.

With their homes destroyed, displaced people face new challenges as they prepare to return to their villages, where shelter and basic necessities are lacking. They are therefore calling for the return process to be expedited and for the necessary assistance to be provided to help them overcome the difficulties ahead.

Returning to Destroyed Villages Is Our Choice Despite the Lack of Basic Necessities

Khayir al-Khadr, a displaced man from the village of al-Manajir, described the dire conditions in the camp.

"Our situation in the camp is extremely bad. Nothing remains here but devastation. We receive no aid or fuel, and they have even stopped providing us with bread," he said.

"What we want is to return to our villages despite the destruction of our homes. But what other choice do we have? The tents here cannot even protect us from the wind and rain," he added.

He stressed that returning to their villages would also be a tragedy and amount to a new displacement, as they would lack the basic necessities of life.

"We are asking for help and support. With winter approaching, how will we protect ourselves from the cold?" he asked.

We Will Rebuild Our Tents and Endure the Harsh Winter After Returning

Amina, a displaced woman from the village of al-Arisha, said her family had packed their tent and household belongings in preparation for their return.

"We packed our tent and household furniture, ready to return. However, after loading our belongings, we were told to wait because the trip had been postponed, and we do not know why," she said.

"Our homes have been destroyed, and nothing remains but rubble and dirt. When we return, we will have to sleep on the ground. We are happy to be going back, but what awaits us is tragedy and suffering. We will sleep on the ground, rebuild our tents and endure the winter cold, with no diesel or other heating supplies," she added.

She concluded by calling for the return process to be accelerated and for assistance to be provided to help displaced families overcome the difficulties and hardships of returning.

Conditions in Displacement Camps Worsen as Winter Approaches

Jaber Abdulrahman, a displaced man from the village of Umm al-Keif in the Tel Tamr countryside, also described the worsening conditions.

"Our situation is deplorable. In the evening, a windstorm struck and nearly harmed my children. We also lack the basic necessities of life in the camps," he said.

"Our homes have been destroyed, and the convoys heading back to their areas keep being delayed. This is harming the displaced people living in the camps. We will return to our villages and rebuild our tents. The families who have already returned are in desperate conditions because nothing remains of their villages but rubble and bare land," he added.

He stressed that while they could live in tents, enduring the winter cold without fuel or heating equipment would be extremely difficult.

"We are asking for help and support because our situation is truly tragic," he said.

Jaber Abdulrahman emphasized that the displaced families had lost hope in remaining in the camps, adding that they had endured more than seven years of suffering and continued to look forward to returning to their homes despite the hardships they faced in the camps.

a.k

ANHA