OCHA concerns about safety of civilians in Syria’s Hasakah

SDF securing safe passage for the civilians in Hasakah – North Press
SDF securing safe passage for the civilians in Hasakah – North Press

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The UNOCHA expressed deep concern about the safety and security of civilians caught up in deteriorating security conditions in Hasakah city, northeast Syria.

Since January 20, the city of Hasakah has been witnessing sporadic clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alongside the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) with support of the US-led Global Coalition, and the cells of the Islamic State (ISIS), in the vicinity of al-Sina’a Prison in the Guweiran neighborhood.  

The clashes began after ISIS sleeper cells militants attacked the prison, which houses thousands of ISIS members, coinciding with three explosions in an attempt to take out ISIS prisoners. 

In statement released yesterday, the UN Office for the Coordination of humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said “about 45,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Most of the displaced people have sought safety with family and friends in nearby areas.”

“About 500 people are being hosted at two temporary shelters,” the statement added. 

The OCHA statement pointed out that international law requires that all parties to the conflict “do their utmost to protect civilians and allow safe passage to those wishing to flee, while those wishing to stay must be protected.”

Yesterday, the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) secured safe passage for the people of Guweiran and al-Zohour neighborhoods in the city of Hasakah fleeing homes where some ISIS fighter infiltrated into their houses in the area surrounding the prison. 

Kurdish politicians in Qamishli city, northeast Syria said ISIS case concerns all the world and not only the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and that the international community should hold the responsibility for the ISIS militants in the prisons and camps. 

In its yesterday’s statement, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for repatriating foreign children from northeast Syria to keep them away from any harm.