AANES warns of humanitarian catastrophe in Syria’s Aleppo
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) warned on Thursday of a humanitarian catastrophe should the Syrian government siege continue on the northern countryside of Aleppo, northwestern Syria.
Checkpoints affiliated with the Fourth Division of the government forces have prevented the entry of fuel and essential materials into areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo which are inhabited by thousands of IDPs from Afrin. They implemented the same measures on the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in the city of Aleppo.
”Our areas are on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe due to the Syrian government’s suffocating siege which is preventing the entry of fuel and materials,” Jamal Rashid, Deputy Co-chair of the AANES in the northern countryside of Aleppo, told North Press.
The shortage of fuel has limited AANES services to running bakeries and supplying water.
“Residents in these areas endure harassment at security checkpoints and face the imposition of royalties on goods, along with restrictions on the entry of essential materials,” Rashid added.
Turkish forces and Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), besiege areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo where Afrin IDPs reside. They have surrounded these areas from three directions, leaving the residents with only one route that leads to Aleppo city – a path that is under the control of the Syrian government.
The deputy co-chair elaborated that the medical sector bears the brunt of the impact, with only two hospitals available, and even these only accept urgent cases.
He noted that the municipality affiliated to the AANES has also significantly reduced its activities, particularly due to the destruction of infrastructure resulting from the conflicts that the northern countryside of Aleppo has witnessed in recent years.
He emphasized the Shahba Region (Aleppo northern countryside) has been experiencing a complete electricity blackout, leaving residents in total darkness for a week.
He warned of the worsening humanitarian situation. “If fuel does not enter into these areas soon, it will cause a humanitarian disaster. We have reduced the production of bread in bakeries, and water supply has become scarce.”
He also called on humanitarian organizations to intervene to protect the region from an imminent humanitarian disaster, stating that the AANES abilities currently are limited to providing bread and water.