HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – With temperature exceeding 40, Ismail Muhammad, standing confused in the center of the IDP camp in the countryside of Hasakah in northeast Syria, complains about the lack of water after the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced Hasakah a “disaster area” due to Turkey’s repeated water cut-off to the city.
Muhammad, who went to the market to buy vegetables for his family, told North Press, “In general, the water is little and not enough. The tank has a capacity of five barrels of water designated for six families in this hot summer.”
Muhammad, who hails from the village of Lilan in the countryside of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and has a large family that exceeds 15 members, indicated that their daily share is often only 30 liters, as more than five families share a five-barrel tank.
Muhammad describes the situation as “tragic.” He said, “We often fetch water from outside the camp to meet our needs for air conditioning and cleaning.”
Recently, the city of Hasakah and its countryside have been suffering from a declining drinking water crisis after Turkey cut off water from the Alouk water station, which provides water for around a million people.
On July 3, the AANES declared the city of Hasakah, its villages, and IDP camps a “disaster area” because Turkey cuts-off water from the city “with the complicity of Russia and the Syrian government.”
One million people are suffering from a severe water crisis in Hasakah as Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition factions, aka Syrian National Army (SNA), continue to withhold water form Alouk water station, which is the main source of water for Hasakah and its towns and villages.
Alouk water station, which lies in the city of Ras al-Ain (Sere Kaniye), is the only water resource feeding Hasakah and its countryside, however, the station is controlled by Turkey and its affiliated SNA.
In 2019, the Turkish forces and the SNA factions launched the so-called “Peace Spring” military operation where it occupied Sere Kaniye and its countryside.
Scarce water
There are four IDP camps in Hasakah Governorate. Washokani camp, north of Hasakah, is considered the largest one, housing over 16,000 IDPs from the city of Sere Kaniye and its countryside, according to the statistics of the camp’s administration given to North Press.
The people in this camp, similar to the population in the region, rely on tankers to bring water from surface wells in the countryside of the city. However, they complain about the scarce daily water shares amid the increasing temperatures and the location of the camp in the desert.
While sweat drips from his forehead, Jumaa al-Khaled, owner of a shop in the camp’s market, complains about the lack of water, which prompts him to bring water from outside the camp every day.
Al-Khaled told North Press, “There is a shortage in water tanks. The smallest family needs at least a 200-liter barrel of water every day, especially since we are in summer time and use air conditioners.”
The sector where he lives has a 10 barrel-tank designated for 13 families. “In 30 minutes, the tank is fully emptied. If you are busy while they fill the tank, you will have to travel long distances to bring water from outside the camp with the help of cars passing by,” he said.
The water issue is troubling the IDPs and residents of Hasakah, as they fear the water of surface wells that supply the region with drinking water would dry up.
Sheikmous Darwish, groundwater geology expert, previously stated to North Press and cautioned about the drying up of surface wells in the countryside of Hasakah “in a month,” warning of “an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.”
Issa Younes, co-chair of the AANES’ Water Directorate of Hasakah, said in a previous statement that “The continuation of this real crisis is the result of an agreement between Russia, Turkey, and Syria to tighten the screws on our people and eliminate the democratic project without sensing the gravity of this crime.”
Informed sources in the Water Directorate of Hasakah told North Press that they supplied the region of Sere Kaniye with eight MW of electricity, considering the wells of Alouk need three MW to operate, but Turkey did not abide by the agreement.
In the past years, since it took control of Alouk water station in the countryside of Sere Kaniye in late 2019, Turkey has cut off water from reaching Hasakah for over 40 times, according to the Water Directorate.
Increasing salinity
Barzan Abdullah, co-chair of Washokani camp, revealed the risks that threaten the lives of IDPs in the near future, despite the efforts they make.
He told North Press, “We face many risks as the camp draws about 700 – 800 cubic meters of water. Water is used more during the summer. The situation of water is very difficult in the region, not to mention the difficulty of drawing water from the Euphrates River to Hasakah.”
He fears the situation would worsen amid absence of wells suitable for drinking in the 50 square kilometers surrounding the camp.
To solve this issue, the AANES intends to draw water from south of the city of Amuda in the countryside of Qamishli to the city of Hasakah. Rustam Bakr, co-chair of the Municipality and Environment Committee in Hasakah, told North Press that the project to drag water from Amuda to Hasakah would be completed in nine months if the necessary materials are available once the project is approved.
The people think it is taking too long, as the project will come into force next year, meanwhile, the residents are currently going through difficult circumstances.
Abdullah noted that the situation of IDPs is “difficult and hope that it does not come to be a catastrophe.”