ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Syrian government checkpoints near the city of Manbij, north Syria, are still preventing oil allocations from reaching camps and IDPs from Afrin in the north Aleppo countryside.
The government checkpoints has not allowed a second batch of oil allocations to pass from Jazira Region to north Aleppo countryside since early January, although the first batch allocations ran out.
It was scheduled to distribute two barrels (440 liters) of oil in two batches for free to Afrin’s displaced families and at a subsidized price to residents of north Aleppo countryside.
Small quantities
Officials of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) said that small quantities of oil entered north Aleppo countryside that hardly covered allocations for bakeries, generators, and water sources.
Ruken Muhammad, an Afrini IDP in Tel Susen, said, “I have received the heating oil allocations two months ago and it has run out. We as women are responsible for children and elderly people and they will get sick if there is no oil available.
“There is no oil and we cannot buy it from the market, where each liter of oil is sold between 1000 and 1200 Syrian pounds,” the IDP pointed out.
Different powers
Due to the invasion by Turkey and Turkish-backed armed opposition groups on Afrin, about 300,000 of Afrin IDPs are found in the camps of Awda, Afrin, Barkhwadan, Sardam, and Shahba, while others are residing in 42 villages and towns, north Aleppo countryside.
This year, Syrian government security checkpoints have increased the IDPs’ sufferings and burdens by banning heating oil, flour, and basic needs from entering the camps and towns where Afrini IDPs are living.
Two days ago, hundreds of IDPs from Afrin and residents of north Aleppo countryside protested in front of the Russian base in the village of Wahshiya, calling for lifting the government checkpoints’ siege and allowing oil in.
“Russian forces required AANES 40% of oil allocations in turn for allowing the material in,” although it had previously interfered several times to allow basic needs into the area, special sources told North Press.
No party cares
Meanwhile, 45-year-old Afrini IDP residing in Tel Susen Idreis Omar Kalkawi is forced to collect tree branches in order to warm his children.
The IDP recalled his life when he was in Afrin before the Turkish aggression. “I had everything I needed. I relied on my trees. We did not suffer in winter, but here they are turning a blind eye to us.”
“We want neither oil nor aid; we only want to return to our villages and we will manage it all,” he added angrily.
There were millions of trees in Afrin that their owners relied on for their livelihood. However, many trees were indiscriminately cut down and burnt by Turkish-backed armed opposition groups that ran the area, according to human rights and media reports.
Reducing electricity hours
“We reduce the electricity hours by two hours a day due to the limited available capacity,” the co-chair of the Social Affairs Board of AANES Warda Ibrahim said.
She pointed out that government security checkpoints refused to allow oil, flour and food as well in to the area.
Despite the IDPs, and residents’ protest, Russian troops did not intervene to allow heating oil and flour for bread in.
Ibrahim warned of a humanitarian disaster in case the siege was not lifted in the light of the virtual absence of humanitarian and relief organizations, and the failure to provide aid with the onset of the winter, and other needs such as children’s clothes and blankets.