Turkey continues to deprive Hasakah city of water
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Officials in the Water Directorate of Hasakah, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), said on Saturday that water has been cut off from the Alouk station for a week, despite meeting Turkish demands.
The station, which is located in the countryside of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) in northern Syria, has been under the control of Turkey and its affiliated opposition factions of the Syrian National Army (SNA) since October 2019 following a military operation dubbed “Peace Spring” in which Turkey occupied Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad.
In April, UNICEF mediated a deal between the AANES and Turkey, stipulating operating the Alouk pumping station in exchange for the AANES to provide the Turkish-held areas with electricity.
The station is the main source of drinking water for Hasakah City and its countryside, leaving residents to suffer in the absence of any other alternatives.
Nawar Sabri, the co-chair of the Water Directorate of Hasakah, told North Press that the water supply from the station has completely been cut off since last Saturday.
She added that although the station is fed with electricity – much more than what the station needs – “there is no water reaching Hasakah.”
Earlier, Issa Younis, the other co-chair of the Water Directorate, said that there is an understanding taking place between the UNICEF and the Red Cross on one hand and Turkey on the other regarding re-operating the station. However, he added, this understanding is marred by some difficulties due to the lack of clear information from Turkey about the station and both organizations are not allowed to enter the station to make sure that all wells are operated.
He said that Turkey’s non-compliance with the deal mediated by UNICEF and its control of water aims to exert pressure on the AANES.