Aleppo – North-Press Agency
Most villages and towns of the western countryside of Aleppo still lack services and basic necessity of life, despite the control of the Syrian government takeover more than three months ago, after violent clashes with the armed opposition groups at the beginning of 2020, and the opening of the roads between the city of Aleppo and its western countryside.
The effects of the war are still felt throughout the region, where only a few families who were living in Aleppo have returned.
Abu Imad al-Sahari, a resident of Urum al-Kubra village in the western countryside of Aleppo, told North-Press, that he had left his house in 2013 for fear of the threats by the armed opposition groups that took control of his town and the entire region, “I had to leave for Aleppo because I am a retired employee in a cement company.”
After all these years, he added, he is trying to renovate his house in Urum al-Kubra village to make it habitable, but “there are no government services, no service centers, and there is neither water nor electricity, except for a health center with poor services, and the town is still empty because most of its people have not returned, while there are some who come only to check their possessions.”
Like other rural areas, the western countryside of Aleppo is still waiting for serious steps from the Syrian government after its takeover, but the promises will not be implemented of soon, according to the region's residents.
As for Abdulhamid Abu Ziyad (a pseudonym), one of the residents of Babis village in the western countryside of Aleppo, he said that whenever the road to his town was opened, he returned despite the lack of sufficient services.
“The town is witnessing an acceptable movement and return of some families, and the government promised us to provide electricity, water, and to restore schools and service institutions. But we know that these promises are difficult to achieve, and may take a long time to be implemented,” he said.
Although it is known for its agriculture and fertile lands, the lack of basic services in the villages and towns of the western countryside of Aleppo prevents its residents from returning.
Yassin Nahhas, a resident of Aleppo who has a farm in Khan al-Asal area, told North-Press that he goes to his badly damaged and pilfered farm in order to rebuild it, “but the area is still uninhabited.”
He added that government measures are necessary in order to “restore life to this vital countryside, which is considered the western gateway to Aleppo, where there are large numbers of farms and factories that, if they are rehabilitated along with cultivation and investment of land, will benefit the economy and increase stability.”
Nurhan Rashid, a member of the Aleppo Governmental Council, told North-Press that Aleppo Governorate had made plans to rehabilitate the western countryside and to return it to normal life, but the coronavirus crisis and the subsequent curfew imposed delayed these plans.”
“The first steps will be to rehabilitate schools, health centers, and municipal councils, and then electricity, water, and other services will be provided,” she added.