AIN ISSA, Syria (North Press) – Dalal Muhammad, 43, and her eight children spent the cold days in a tent having only a mat to sit on without a heater in Tel al-Samen camp in Raqqa countryside, northern Syria.
The squatter camp was set up to shelter the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Tel Abyad and Ain Issa areas in Syria’s northern city of Raqqa because they are frequently shelled.
6,000 IDPs in total of 1,200 families are residing in the camp.
Muhammad, not having sufficient blankets to cover her children with, said “my children do not sleep the night due to cold”. Temperatures drop below zero at night.
Her family has displaced to the camp not long ago. Turkish forces and their affiliated Syrian opposition factions repeatedly target the town of Ain Issa, displacing people from their homes.
As Turkish forces scale up shelling on populated areas, many more have displaced.
No heaters for winter
Muhammad’s neighbor put some dust and asphalt around his tent to prevent rain water flow it.
Days ago, the camp’s management collected gas heaters alleging they are unsafe to use. Afterwards, it distributed 50 liters of diesel to every family in the tent without distributing heaters.
“Humanitarian organizations and related authorities should bear responsibilities and deliver assistance to the IDPs in the camp,” Muhammad said.
Humanitarian aid to the IDPs has reduced due to the closure of Tel Kocher (al-Ya’rubiyah) border crossing and politicizing the file of aid by the Syrian government.
Muhammad al-Abdulla, 80, who displaced from Tel Abyad, lives in a tent in Tel al-Samen camp. He questioned about their fate after food aid, also insufficient, is distributed only by one single organization.
Lack of job opportunities keeps families without sustainable income. Therefore, people look forward to humanitarian assistance which has not been delivered for a month.
Mattresses and blankets have not been distributed for two years. “Those, we currently have, became shabby”.
In November 2019, Tel al-Samen Camp was found to shelter IDPs from Tel Abyad and its countryside following the Turkish invasion.
NGOs stand idly
Tens of international and local organizations operate in the camp, but their work is only limited on awareness and doing programs for the disabled. Only one organization distributes food baskets, which are few, as well, the camp’s management said.
One organization distributed gas heaters but the IDPs did not use them saying they smell bad and are unsafe to use, the IDPs said.
Muhammad Sheikh Ali, co-chair of Tel Abyad IDPs camp, said the needs of the camp are always increasing but the NGOs workers stand idly.
The majority of the organizations in the camp are nominal and offer no support, Sheikh Ali added.
Whole people of some villages fled the Turkish recent escalation and sheltered in the camp leading to overcrowding.
Up to 5,000 children, mostly under 15, are deprived of rights and conditions for a good living, the camp’s management noted.