Four children die from cold amid siege, displacement in Kobani
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Hadiya Abdullah, Co-Chair of the Kurdish Red Crescent, told North Press on Saturday that four children died in the city of Kobani due to extreme cold, following a snowstorm that struck the area on Thursday evening.
The Kurdish Red Crescent official said the incident reflects the severity of the humanitarian conditions in Kobani, stressing that areas under a total siege naturally experience worsening health problems, especially amid the harsh winter weather affecting the region.
She warned that the continued siege could lead to the spread of diseases and epidemics due to the near-total lack of essential necessities such as water, electricity, medicines, and infant formula, noting that these shortages pose a direct threat to children’s lives in particular.
She added that the siege also contributes to the spread of diseases linked to poor environmental sanitation, negatively impacting overall public health, and warned that Kobani’s health and humanitarian sectors are facing a real threat if the situation continues unchanged.
The Kurdish city of Kobani in northern Syria has been witnessing a large wave of displacement from the countryside into the city due to clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and government forces. The city is also under siege, depriving residents of basic means of survival.