Wet blankets, torn tents: IDPs suffer in Syria’s Raqqa
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Rafa’a Abdullah, an IDP from Tel Abyad residing in Tel Samen camp in northeast Syria, collects soil to place in front of her tent order to prevent water from entering what has become home for her and her family.
During a rainstorm that took place last week, rainwater leaked into the camp’s tents, soaking all blankets and mattresses inside.
The Autonomous Administration of North East Syria (AANES) opened a camp in Tel Samen for IDPs in November, after Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition groups took control over Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye in October 2019.
The number of IDPs from Tel Abyad in Tel Samen camp exceeded 700 families; however, 800 other registered families are waiting for shelter in the camp, according to the camp administration.
“We are suffering; I need a special tent. I move with my disabled daughter from one tent to another because they did not give us a tent,” Abdullah said, pointing to the wet items in the tent. She moved to live in the camp with her disabled daughter three months ago.
“Our tent fell down on our heads due to the first storm that took place yesterday; we were forced to stay in the neighbor’s tent,” Muhammad Mustafa, an IDP from south Tel Abyad who has been residing in the camp for nine months, told North Press.
When it rains or storms, five families are forced to gather in one tent in order to set up the tents that get worn during the wind, and rainwater often runs inside them.
“We have three blankets, which are not enough to warm a child; they distributed poor quality blankets,” Mustafa added.
“We appeal to those who are listening to us, as we appeal to all humanitarian organizations, to support us with good tents, blankets, heating items for the approaching winter,” he added.
The camp was suffering in the light of the poor preparations for the upcoming winter, Muhammad Sheikh Ali, Tel Samen Camp Co-chair, told North Press.
Recently the UNHCR has provided the camp with 50 “poor tents that fell down as soon as it rained and the wind blew,” he added.
“Additionally, the blankets that UNHCR distributed were of poor quality, and each person needs more than five blankets in order to be warm,” he said.
Last year the camp administration secured the needs of 250 families in the camp during the last winter, but the number has increased, according to Sheikh Ali.
The administration set up 500 new and equipped tents in the camp in October due to the increasing number of applications.
“The administration applied to the Blumont international organization to support the camp with heating items, but it provided the kerosene heaters, which we cannot distribute due to their danger. During the past winter, several fires occurred inside the camp as a result of the incorrect use of these heaters,” Sheikh Ali said.
He also stressed the need for urgent interference by the international community and humanitarian organizations to support the camp due to “the deteriorating livelihood and financial conditions that IDPs are experiencing in order to be able to face the approaching tough winter,” he added.