Turkish attacks inflict massive economic damage on NE Syria – Economist
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – An economic expert estimated the impact of the recent Turkish bombardment on infrastructure facilities in northeastern Syria to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Economic researcher Khorshid Alika stated that the economy of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has entered a “general recession” due to the repeated attacks on infrastructure.
The recent Turkish bombardment exacerbated the crisis and paralyzed economy. These attacks targeted dams, gas installations, oil facilities, power plants, and some military sites.
According to the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press, the Turkish bombardment targeted a total of 131 positions, including 21 infrastructure sites, 76 residential areas, 23 military sites – 13 of which belonged to Syrian government forces – six farmlands, three industrial plants, one school, and one hospital.
These attacks were distributed across several cities and their surroundings, including 21 sites in Qamishli, 26 in Hasakah, 27 in Aleppo northern countryside, nine in Derik, 25 in Ain Issa, 16 in Kobani, and seven in Manbij.
The number of strikes reached 180, including 117 artillery strikes, 17 airstrikes, and 45 drone strikes, according to the department.
The casualties amounted to 25 people, with 17 losing their lives, including 10 civilians, while eight others, including five civilians (one of them is a child), were injured, according to the department.
Alika added that on an overall economic level, these attacks will have long-term economic effects on the development of the region.
He stated that the direct and indirect losses from the Turkish bombardment can be estimated in hundreds of millions of dollars. This means that the individual’s share of the economic losses due to the bombardment, investment stagnation, and increased unemployment rates will be “very high.”
In the coming days, there will be a shortage of water supply in most residential neighborhoods in the targeted areas, a reduction in electricity supply hours to zero in most areas, a fuel crisis including gas, diesel, and gasoline, as well as a stagnation in the market and a continued rise in prices of goods and services. These factors will directly impact increased migration rates, reduce aid to camps, and consequently, cause higher unemployment rates, according to the researcher.
Regarding the mechanism to deal with the Turkish attacks, Alika states that it is very difficult for the AANES “to flexibly handle the effects of these continuous brutal attacks or provide alternatives for it.”
He adds that Turkey fights Kurds and the Kurdish cause wherever it exists, so the AANES must distance itself from anything that indicates a threat to Turkey’s security.
It is necessary to send a message through its allies that the AANES and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) do not pose a threat to Turkey’s national security.
According to Alika, the AANES should demand from the Arab League, the US-led Coalition, and supportive countries of the AANES to exert pressure on Turkey to stop its operations against northeastern and northern Syria.
The AANES should also secure the necessary power generators to operate vital facilities in case of power outages due to damaged power substations.