Earthquake-hit Aleppines Head towards IDP Camps Amid Aid Shortages
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – An official in a camp for IDPs from the Afrin region in northwestern Syria said on Sunday that waves of displaced people from Aleppo city have arrived at the camp, and are still continuing to arrive, following the earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey.
On Feb. 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northwest Syria, leading to large-scale destruction and tens of thousands of deaths.
The earthquake completely destroyed many buildings and damaged many others, forcing residents to evacuate the damaged buildings and head towards asylum centers and camps.
Khlousi Besso, an official at Berkhwedan camp, near the town of Tel Rifaat, in Aleppo northern countryside, locally known as Shahba region, said that since Feb. 6, 821 families, including 5.842 people, have registered in the camps.
The camps lack tents and equipment needed for the new IDPs, as the Syrian government has also imposed an embargo on the region, he added.
Shahba has been subjected to a government siege for nearly three months. Living standards have deteriorated sharply and been compounded by a currency crisis in the country.
The official stressed the total absence of relief and humanitarian aids for newcomers.
More than 200 displaced people suffer from chronic diseases that need medication and medical care, he noted.
“However, amid the current situation, we are unable to provide them with anything,” the official stressed.
Shahba region houses IDPs of the Kurdish city of Afrin which was occupied in 2018 by Turkey following a military operation called “Olive Branch” to push away the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) under the pretext of protecting Turkey’s “national security”.
The operation caused the displacement of about 300.000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 40 villages and five camps in Shahba region since then.