Manbij – North-Press Agency
Saddam al-Hassan
On Wednesday and Thursday mornings, the al-Hal market in the northern Syrian city of Manbij witnessed a crowding of people, traders, and sellers despite the commitment to the ban witnessed on the other streets of the city for fear of the risks of the spread of the new coronavirus.
In the early morning hours, dozens of residents of Manbij city gathered at the al-Hal market to buy their necessities without committing to any protective measures against coronavirus, such as social distancing and the wearing of masks or gloves.
Manbij resident Yassin al-Ahmad said: "It is necessary to take the matter seriously, and not to be reckless. It is only 15 days, we have to protect ourselves and our families."
On Wednesday, while talking about the launch of a global response plan to address the novel coronavirus, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the coronavirus epidemic poses "a threat to all mankind.”
For its part, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has issued a statement specifying the duration of 15-day lockdown, beginning from Monday, March 23rd, which can be extended if necessary, while the exceptions included food stores, hospitals, international organizations and pharmacies. The decision did not provide any mechanism for organizing the movement of people in markets and at bakeries.
Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) advises to avoid approaching people with fever and cough, and to avoid direct contact with live animals and surfaces that come into contact with these animals, when visiting live product markets in areas experiencing cases of infection with the coronavirus.
Security sources told North-Press that the Department of the Internal Security Forces will make a declaration in the next few days clarifying the measures taken by the security forces to control the ban on movement in the city.
Through a statement on Wednesday, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria reiterated a number of measures and recommendations related to the applicable procedures for the lockdown in its areas, and called on the people to support each other under the current circumstances.