Report highlights plight of elderly displaced from Syria’s Afrin, Sere Kaniye
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A research report released on Tuesday by a group of civil society organizations has shed light on the impact of displacement on elderly people from Afrin, in northwestern Syria, and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), in the northeast.
The joint study, prepared by PEL-Civil Waves, Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), and the Ceasefire Center for Civilian Rights, offers a set of recommendations aimed at alleviating the suffering of the elderly and improving their living conditions.
The report calls on policymakers and humanitarian actors to adopt a comprehensive, age-sensitive approach across all stages of the humanitarian response.
Key recommendations to the Syrian transitional government include adhering to the March 10 agreement signed between Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander in Chief Mazloum Abdi, particularly the provision on the safe and dignified return of displaced people.
It further urges the withdrawal of Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) factions from Afrin and Sere Kaniye, holding perpetrators of violations accountable, and preventing them from assuming leadership roles in state institutions.
The report also calls on Turkey to end the use of water as a weapon, and to guarantee the regular pumping of water from the Alouk station, which supplies both the local population and camps sheltering displaced persons.
In addition, it urges the Syrian Red Crescent to coordinate with the Kurdish Red Crescent to ensure adequate delivery of basic services in displacement camps and shelters.
The report encourages donors and funding agencies to dedicate resources to elderly care that are both gender- and age-sensitive, while avoiding the exclusion of northeastern Syria from such projects.
It also called upon legislators to enact laws that strengthen and safeguard the rights of the elderly in times of conflict.
As for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the report recommends expanding healthcare access through mobile clinics in camps, ensuring free provision of medicine, and facilitating the safe return of displaced persons wishing to go back to their areas of origin.