{"id":110488,"date":"2024-01-24T20:02:30","date_gmt":"2024-01-24T20:02:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=110488"},"modified":"2024-01-24T20:02:32","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T20:02:32","slug":"turkish-airstrikes-disrupt-transportation-in-ne-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/110488\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkish airstrikes disrupt transportation in NE Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Samer Yassin<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) \u2013 <\/strong>Issa al-Aweid, a resident of the town of Amuda in northeastern Syria, visits the city of Hasakah twice a week to accompany his wife to her medical appointments. However, he was taken aback yesterday, on Tuesday, when he discovered there was no available van to take passengers from Amuda to Hasakah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Issa al-Aweid, 48, is originally from the town of Shaddadi, southern Hasakah. He works with his family of eight in cultivation in the village of Chagher in the countryside of Amuda. He does not own a car and relies on public transportation for his work, and other tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the first half of January 2024, Turkey targeted 89 sites with 122 strikes, including 62 by drones and 22 by warplanes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airstrikes focused on electrical substations, oil and gas facilities, and positions of the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is my fault?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Al-Aweid complains about the situation as he either has to wait for hours at the garage to go to Hasakah or take a taxi at a cost exceeding 700,000 SYP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand the region is suffering from a fuel crisis, and that most vehicle owners have suspended work as a result of that, but what is my fault?\u201d he wondered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, I went to the garage in Amuda to be shocked that there is no means of transportation to take me to Hasakah due to the unavailability of diesel. We waited for hours until a van came, and we traveled to Hasakah. But in the future, if there are no vans available to transport me and my family to the doctor, whom we visit twice a week, how will I manage my affairs?\u201d al-Aweid told North Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if we take a taxi, the driver will tell us that diesel is unavailable and will raise the cost of the trip from Amuda to Hasakah to more than 700,000 SYP. How can I afford this sum of money every two days when my family and I earn only 1500 SYP per hour?\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only source of livelihood<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ayman al-Ali, 28, a resident of the village of Tel Brak, north of Hasakah, works as a van driver on the Tel Brak-Hasakah road. He supports a family of seven solely through the daily income generated by his van.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBefore the airstrikes, although diesel was available, we were facing many breakdowns in our vehicles; I could barely cover the daily expenses of the family. Now, over 50 vans, including mine, have ceased operations due to the lack of diesel caused by the Turkish airstrikes on oil facilities,” al-Ali, in an interview, informed North Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Ali has no other source of income except his van. \u201cAfter my work was suspended due to the lack of diesel, my financial situation has become extremely bad. If the situation continues like this, and diesel does not become available, my family and I will die of hunger,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abdulaziz Sheikhi, a 25-year-old van owner working as a driver on the Amuda-Hasakah road, went to a gas station to refuel his van with diesel. However, he was informed that diesel was unavailable due to the oil facilities being out of service following the Turkish airstrikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheikhi, who has no other source of income, said, “I was compelled to buy diesel from the black market at a price of 5,500 SYP per liter just to sustain my work of transporting passengers, primarily students, employees, and patients, who heavily depend on public transportation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, I demanded passengers to pay 10,000 SYP instead of 8,000 SYP because I bought diesel at a high price from the black market. However, passengers did not accept this pricing, as most of the people we transport with our vans are from lower and middle classes, and many of them commute daily,\u201d Sheikhi added<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halt of Transportation Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Amal Shakr, Co-chair of the Transportation Directorate in Hasakah, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), stated to North Press that the Turkish attacks on oil facilities and infrastructure has negatively impacted the transportation sector in the region, leading to a shortage in diesel allocated for van and bus drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, she said, many vehicles have suspended their work, affecting citizens, especially patients, students, rendering them unable to travel to cities and their surroundings. In addition, the transportation of goods has also been severely affected by these disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The crisis became apparent when the transportation on the Qamishli-Hasakah road and vice versa came to a sudden stop,” the official added. “Since Saturday, more than 50 vehicles have completely suspended their operations due to the lack of available diesel fuel for these vehicles.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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