The ongoing war in all regions of Syria has caused an internal displacement due to the battles between the forces of the Damascus government, the mercenary groups of the Syrian Coalition and the Turkish occupation. Forcing the displaced to head to the regions of northeast Syria as a safe haven.
The camps host Aleppo, Homs, the countryside of Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Idlib and other areas displaced, not to mention Iraqi and families of ISIS mercenaries' ones.
In addition, hundreds of thousands of displaced came from Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî / (Tal Abyad), fleeing from the Turkish occupation attacks in 2018-2019.
More than a million displaced
According to the Director of the Organizations Office for Displaced and Refugees Affairs, Sheikmous Ahmed, the number of displaced in northeast Syria is one million and 25 thousand displaced.
Of these, nearly 900,000 displaced live outside the camps, and 125,000 displaced are in camps.
Since 2014, the Autonomous Administration's camps in northeast Syria have received the Yazidis fleeing the ISIS massacres in Şengal, and then camps for Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij and Deir ez-Zor were established for those who fled from ISIS crackdown. In 2018, camps received Afrin displaced who fled the crimes Turkey and its attacks, and in 2019 camps received Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê, who also fled from the crimes and attacks of the Turkish occupation.
15 camps
Sheikmos Ahmed stated that the total number of camps in the regions of northeast Syria is 15.
Among these camps, 6 in Al-Jazeera region, which host the largest number of displaced persons and refugees. The camps are: "Al-Hol, Areesheh, Roj, Newroz, Serêkaniyê, and Washokani."
In al-Shahba canton hosts 5 camps; "Barkhwadan, Sardam, Al-Awuda, Afrin and Al-Shahba."
There is also a camp for Girê Spî displaced, which was opened after Turkey's occupation in the town of Tal al-Samen, south of Raqqa.
Mahmoudli camp was also opened in Tabqa, and two camps in Manbij, intended for displaced people fleeing the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib.
Sheikmos Ahmed indicated that there are hundreds of random camps scattered in villages and prairies in "Manbij, Raqqa, Tabqa and the countryside of Deir ez-Zor."
The NGOs left after Turkey's attacks and the closure of the only crossing with a Russian veto
With the start of the Turkish occupation attacks on the cities of Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê on October 9, 2019, a large number of NGOs left the regions of northeast Syria, at a time, thousands of displaced who fled the Turkish occupation's attacks were in need of assistance.
According to the statistics of the Organizations Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees, the number of operating NGOs in the area before the attacks reached about 34 between local and international.
In this context, Ahmed said that before since 2018, with the start of the attacks on the city of Afrin, the UN left the area.
Ahmed touched on Russia's veto in January, over the crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid into Syria, according to which the Tel Koçber (Al-Yarubiyah) crossing, the only crossing for the delivery of aid was closed in northeast Syria.
Ahmed emphasized that the Russian veto came to support the policy of the Damascus government and the Turkish occupation to put pressure on the Autonomous Administration, criticizing the use of the crossings as a political pressure card.
With the novel Coronavirus spike in Syria, northeast Syria, the situation worsened, as the camps did not receive any support, and in this context, Ahmed criticized the role of the World Health Organization, which should have worked on opening the crossing for aid.
Government aid that does not reach the displaced and ISIS families are smuggled
The NGOs were forced to cooperate with the Damascus government and the Syrian Red Crescent to deliver the aid.
The Damascus government took advantage of this situation and the Syrian Red Crescent, to seize the aid sent to NE Syria, to distribute it to its followers.
Ahmed confirmed that the Syrian Red Crescent operating in Al-Hol camp, contributed to smuggling ISIS families and this forced the Autonomous Administration to stop its work in the camp, given the ISIS danger.
The Damascus government confiscates the aid and sells it in the markets
With regard to the Afrin displaced in al-Shahba canton, Ahmed indicated, after his visit to the region that the Damascus government is besieging the area and putting pressure on the displaced.
Ahmed said that there is no outlet for al-Shahba canton, as the area is besieged by the mercenaries of the Turkish occupation on the one hand, and on the other hand by the Damascus government.
He added, "When aid is sent from the Autonomous Administration to al-Shahba canton, the Syrian government confiscates it."
Ahmed confirmed that the United Nations' aid, is confiscated by the Damascus government, and sold in Aleppo.
Little possibilities
With the onset of winter, there are thousands of displaced are in need of aid because they live in dilapidated tents.
In this context, Ahmed indicated that the Democratic Autonomous Administration has strategic projects regarding the displaced and camps.
He explained that the closure of the Tel Kocber crossing, "Yarubiyah", and the failure to send aid and support for a whole year, made securing all supplies very difficult, pointing out that the capabilities of the Autonomous Administration are not sufficient to secure all the winter needs of the displaced.
Appeals for support
The Director of the Organizations Office and Displaced Persons and Refugees Affairs, Sheikmos Ahmed, appealed to the United Nations, humanitarian organizations and the international coalition against ISIS, and the European Union, to do their humanitarian duty and put pressure on Russia and Turkey to open the Tel Kujer crossing and send support and aid to the displaced, and the organizations to return to work in the region.
He also demanded that the Iraqi government return its refugees in Al-Hol camp to ease the burden on the Autonomous Administration.
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