Crossings closure threats food security in camps in Syria’s northeast, official
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Aid assistance does not reach areas in northeast Syria as a result of the ongoing closure of the crossing points with areas held by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) which in turn threat food and health security in camps, an official of Deir ez-Zor Civil Council said Saturday.
The AANES says the region is besieged as a result of the crossings closure including al-Ya’rubiyah/Tel Kocher border crossing with Iraq that was closed year and a half ago followed a decision by the UN Security Council due to Russian and Chinese veto.
Four days ago, the transit movement between northeast Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) returned through the Semalka-Faysh Khabur crossing after being suspended for more than a month.
“Food and health security in Deir ez-Zor is in danger and will get worse in case the crossings closure continues,” Saddam al-Aboud, head of Camps and IDPs Affairs Office in Deir ez-Zor Civil Council, said.
“Camps are witnessing disastrous conditions particularly in winter and the extreme cold since support provided by the operating organizations do not meet ends of the IDPs in Deir ez-Zor, al-Aboud told North Press.
In Deir ez-Zor countryside, there are Abu Khashab Camp and seven squatter camps deploy in addition to five accommodation centers, according to al-Aboud.
He noted that the lack of support provided to areas of northeast Syria and also the ongoing closure of crossings burdened the IDPs and caused them many challenges.
Al-Aboud called on the international community and UN to provide proper support to the AANES in addition to separating politics that serve interests of regional countries from the humanitarian reality through opening the border crossings.