RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), which houses more than 150,000 refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in its areas, has been calling on the Security Council since 2019 to reopen al-Ya’rubiyah border-crossing, so humanitarian aid can be delivered to people in need.
Al-Ya’rubiyah (Tel Kocher) border-crossing is located on the Syrian- Iraqi border and was the most official crossing between the two countries prior to the Syrian conflict in 2011.
Prior to the crossing’s closure in 2019, which happed because of Russian-Chinese veto in the UN Security Council, 103 medical facilities were receiving aid across the crossing to northeastern Syria, according to a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Security Council in the beginning of 2020.
Sheikhmous Ahmad, co-chair of the IDPs and Refugees Affairs Office of the AANES, saia that the continued closure of the crossing, in light of the difficult economic conditions in the world, and Syria in particular, exacerbates the hard living conditions for those who live in camps.
“Dozens of official and squatter camps in the AANES areas, which contain hundreds of thousands of IDPs from various Syrian regions, were negatively and directly affected after the closure decision,” Ahmad told North Press.
“It was better for political decisions to avoid interfering in humanitarian affairs, but what happened with al-Ya’rubiyah crossing proved the exact opposite,” he added.
“The AANES is doing its best in calling the UN and the countries involved in the Syrian issue to reopen the crossing,” he noted.
Ahmed mentioned that most of the humanitarian delegations that visit the AANES areas are informed about the humanitarian situation, the IDPs’ miserable conditions and the negative impacts of the crossing’s closure on these issues.
The AANES, through its meetings with human rights organizations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the European Union, called for reopening the crossing, which is considered a lifeline in northeastern Syria, according to Ahmad.
“The economic sanctions imposed on Syria, which has led to the collapse of the Syrian Pound, has significantly damaged the living conditions for all Syrians,” he said.
According to the UN, 90% of the population still lives below the poverty line and 60% of Syrians suffer from food insecurity.
What made the situation even worse for people in north and east Syria was that its infrastructure was destroyed as a result of the war that took place between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) from 2015 to 2019.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the Security Council to extend its authorization of cross-border aid into northwest Syria by a year, underscoring that humanitarian needs in Syria are at their highest since the start of the war over 11 years ago.
Only one border-crossing
In 2014, the UN Security Council allowed aid deliveries into Syria through four border-crossings that are not under the control of Syrian government. However, under pressure of Russia and China, the Security Council reduced them to one in the beginning of 2020, which is the Bab al-Hawa border-crossing with Turkey.
Abdul-Hakim al-Masry, Minister of Finance and Economy in the Interim Government of the Syrian opposition, necessitated the issue of opening al-Ya’rubiyah border-crossing.
In his talk to North Press, al-Masry expressed his fears of finding a replacement for the Bab al-Hawa border-crossing and not extending the UN resolution that allows cross-border deliveries of lifesaving aid into northwest Syria, which could have adverse effects on Syrians.
Al-Masry accused Moscow and Damascus of politicizing humanitarian aid by insisting that all aid deliveries should be controlled by the Syrian government.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council on April 27 that his country would not approve the extension of a UN resolution authorizing the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria through the Turkish border crossing at Bab al-Hawa when the resolution expires in July.
Exploiting aid
Al-Masry said that Damascus and Moscow “exploit the international organizations, as they exchange the dollar at a price of 2,800 SYP, while the exchange rate in the black market reaches nearly 4,000 SYP. So practically, they steal about %30 of the value.”
In addition, they also steal materials and cash designated for rebuilding Syria provided by the humanitarian organizations, he added.
Al-Masry backed his words by citing the recent Brussels conference, in which international donors pledged close to €6.4 billion (about $6,7 billion) to Syria and neighbouring countries, of which $5 billion were allocated to refugees in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, while $1,6 billion remained to Syria.
“From 50% to 60% of that number is stolen due to the exchange rate difference and material price differences, leaving nearly $600 million.”
Al-Masry suggested alternatives within the aid framework, such as distributing cash enough for the population to cover their needs.