By Hawar Hebbo
DERIK, Syria (North Press) – Two weeks after Turkish warplanes, drones, and artillery hit vital facilities in northeast Syria, including power and water stations, many villages in the countryside of Derik (al-Malikiyah) are still facing power cuts.
Over 100 villages in the Qamishli countryside, northeast Syria, have lost electricity due to the Turkish strikes that hit vital infrastructure facilities between Oct. 5-9. The strikes specifically targeted the stations responsible for converting and generating electricity in various parts of the region.
These attacks on infrastructure sites have left thousands of residents without power and have disrupted gas and electricity services at the Sweidiya gas plant, which provides electricity to the entire Hasakah Governorate.
Turkey’s violations
Ali Rashid Abdullah, a resident of Ger Kandal village in Derik countryside, told North Press, “Before the Turkish strikes, electricity was available 24 hours a day. However, the Turkish attacks led to a complete power outage in our villages. We had suffered power and water outages for days. Turkey has assaulted us in its attacks.”
He further explained, “We are in our village, on our land, handling our daily life peacefully. However, they targeted us on daily basis then. This issue must be addressed; the UN and other countries should intervene. What is the fault of those innocent civilians?”
Regarding Turkey’s role in the region, Suleiman Darwish, a resident of one of the villages in Derik countryside, told North Press, “Turkey attacked power stations and caused a complete power outage and left us suffering. We did not attack anybody, yet Turkey continues targeting us in our houses.”
“Fearing for their safety, people had to leave their homes. More than 100 villages are without electricity, as if we have gone back 70 years in time,” he further explained.
Darwish emphasized the need to restore electricity to ensure the availability of gas and water. He called for prompt repairs to the damaged power stations, stating that it is vital for the affected communities to be able to return to normal life as soon as possible.
Limited capabilities
In previous statement to North Press, Akram Suleiman, the co-chair of Energy Office of the AANES, told North Press that the infrastructure facilities damaged by the Turkish bombardment cannot be repaired due to very limited available resources. He emphasized the need for quick international intervention to rehabilitate these facilities and put them back into service.
Suleiman added that the timeframe for repairing these facilities is unknown, pointing out that the cost of repair is estimated to be millions of dollars.
Before the Turkish attacks, the daily production of the Sweidiya gas plant was 500,000 cubic meters of clean gas which fueled electric power turbines generating 40 megawatts of electricity. After the Turkish strikes, this has been reduced to half the amount, according to a previous statement by Agid Abdulmajid, the director of the installation.
He further added, “The currently operational turbines are sufficient only to meet the needs of the town of Rmelan, as many other turbines still require repairs. A small portion is being operated to serve civilians, but these alternatives are temporary until the damage are fully repaired.”
Like the rest of Derik’s residents, Yaqob Suleiman told North Press, “Ten days ago, Turkey targeted our areas, causing power outages.”