gradual return of residents to Um al-Keif village west of Tal Tamr

After seven years of forced displacement, signs of life have gradually begun to return to the village of Um al-Keif, west of the city of Tal Tamr, with the return of several families to their destroyed homes, following a decrease in tensions and an improvement in the security situation after the January 29 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim government.

Despite the hopes that the return brought, the residents were confronted with the extent of the massive destruction that affected the houses and infrastructure, amidst the absence of service and humanitarian support and the high costs of construction materials and fuel, which made reconstruction a burden beyond the capacity of most of them.

Citizen Mohamed Barho al-Jumaa, one of the returning villagers, said that his house suffered severe damage due to the shelling, and he was forced to repair parts of it using primitive methods with mud, due to his inability to purchase construction materials.

He pointed out that many residents returned to homes that were partially or completely destroyed, while some were forced to live in schools or unprepared buildings, amid their continued suffering from a lack of health services and the presence of war remnants and mines that threaten the lives of residents, especially children, which exacerbates the humanitarian situation in the village.

He added that most of the returnees are working with limited resources to remove the rubble and repair what can be repaired, and that the prices of fuel and construction materials are a heavy burden on them, as the cost of repairing the columns and foundations alone exceeds the capacity of the families who have been drained by years of prolonged displacement, while most of the residents rely on their limited personal resources.

Mohammed Barho Friday explained that the destruction was not limited to homes only, but extended to the lives of the residents and their living and health conditions. He noted that many families have members suffering from chronic and serious diseases, including cases of cancer and heart diseases, amid the absence of healthcare and the weakness of basic services.

He confirmed that the level of destruction in the village of Um al-Keif is very high, and that most of the houses were partially or completely demolished. Additionally, several of them were subjected to theft and vandalism during the years of displacement, making the return for many families a step fraught with difficulties and challenges.

He urged the relevant authorities and mine removal teams to intervene urgently to remove the remnants of war from the village, including unexploded ordnance and mines that still pose a significant danger to the lives of residents, especially children and newly returning families; because the continued presence of these remnants hinders the complete return of the residents and threatens their safety.

He also appealed to the relevant authorities and humanitarian organizations to support the residents and provide basic necessities of life, and to launch reconstruction projects and rehabilitate infrastructure and services, which would help them stabilize and return to their normal lives after many years of displacement and suffering.

Despite the harsh conditions, the people of Um al-Keif insist on staying and reviving their village, affirming that returning to their land and homes, no matter how destroyed, is better than continuing a life of displacement.

ANHA