DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Al-Okla is tired of looking for a job to secure his family’s daily needs in a makeshift camp in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, in light of poor services and complete suspension of support provided by humanitarian organizations.
Khalaf al-Okla, who was displaced with his family of seven five years ago, now is living in Meheimideh makeshift camp, 12 km west of Deir ez-Zor, told North Press that he did not have permanent job, and that he was jobless most of the month.
However, what concerns al-Okla the most is the education of his children, since this field is neglected like most of other fields in the camp where he lives. His children are growing up without receiving any education in light of the acute lack of support and schools.
IDPs in the makeshift camps in Deir ez-Zor suffer from a severe shortage of all services, especially in the health field, in addition to the lack of drinking water in summer, relief aid, and the absence of schools.
The IDPs in the Meheimideh makeshift camp appeal to relevant authorities and key actors, through North Press, to pay more attention to their catastrophic situation and provide them with services in light of the lack of job opportunities and aid, adding to that high cost of living in tandem with the local currency devaluation.
Additionally, the dreadful living conditions and challenges that IDPs have been facing for years make their life worse.
However, the closure of the Semalka–Faysh Khabur border crossing has increased the IDPs’ sufferings, affecting prices of food and other commodities.
On May 11, the Kurdistan Regional Iraq (KRI) closed Semalka-Faysh Kahbur border crossing until further notice without revealing the reasons for the closure.
The Semalka–Faysh Khabur border crossing links the areas of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) with those of the KRI.
It is one of the most crucial border crossings for the AANES, especially after the closure of al-Ya’rubiyah (Tel Kocher) border crossing in 2020 due to Russian-Chinese vetoes.
The 40-year-old displaced woman, Wadha Muhammad, who live in Hawayij Dhiab makeshift camp, 15 km west of Deir ez-Zor, suffers from a shortage of drinking water, she buys water at high prices.
“The cost of getting water for drinking and washing is unaffordable, as the price of a barrel of water is 5,000 SYP,” she told North Press.
In addition to the water’s high price, the woman also complains about the water contamination, at a time when the IDPs need water for drinking and domestic use, especially with the onset of summer.
Muhammad calls for extending a water network to the camp to solve the problem, and to alleviate the suffering of the displaced people.
The 48-year-old Ahmad al-Bader, who has been living in Hawaij Dhiab camp for 7 years, complains about his inability to afford for needs of his family of six.
The lack of relief aid provided to the IDPs along with prices hike due to the devaluation of the Syrian pound all exacerbated their living conditions.
Al-Bader calls on the AANES to intervene, support the IDPs, and help them in light of the difficult living conditions they are going through.
Muhammad Hussein al-Omiri, co-chair of the Humanitarian Affairs Committee in Deir ez-Zor, said, “The makeshift camps in Deir ez-Zor need support in all aspects, especially in light of the high prices and the devaluation of the Syrian pound.”
“The IDPs need summer clothes for children, solar energy to provide electricity, spraying pesticides, a medical point, in addition to distributing hygiene containers,” al-Omiri noted.
He pointed out, “A number of organizations support the makeshift camps in Deir ez-Zor in term of drinking water and relief aid, while only one organization supports education in some camps, and there are organizations that provide health awareness services.”
In Deir ez-Zor, Abu Khashab camp is the only registered camp in the AANES areas, it houses 10,345 individuals. Meanwhile, the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor is home to seven makeshift camps, where 2,600 families reside.