AANES warns of environmental disaster in Syria’s Euphrates River
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) warned on Tuesday of a serious environmental disaster after the spread of a toxic substance in the Euphrates River following a landslide at a gold mine in Turkey in February 2024.
The Environment Board of the AANES said in a statement that Turkey is hiding this disaster and that the negative effects of this blast will soon appear in the Euphrates River, which passes through Syria and Iraq.
The landslide at a gold mine in the city of Arzincan in eastern Turkey caused a major collapse of soil, raising concerns about the spread of the dangerous chemical cyanide in the river. Cyanide is used in gold mining, and the collapsed soil piles were washed with cyanide and sulfuric acid.
An official from the Water Department in the city of Kobani, north Syria, near the river, told North Press that they have sent a water sample to be tested in laboratories in Raqqa Governorate, north Syria.
In the statement, the AANES called on the public opinion, international environmental organizations, and those concerned with the environment and climate to fulfill their duties and responsibilities in caring for the environment and protecting the community.