{"id":90366,"date":"2023-01-08T08:11:24","date_gmt":"2023-01-08T08:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=90366"},"modified":"2023-01-08T15:31:58","modified_gmt":"2023-01-08T15:31:58","slug":"aanes-calls-on-un-powers-in-syria-to-re-open-tel-kocher-crossing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/90366\/","title":{"rendered":"AANES calls on UN, powers in Syria to re-open Tel Kocher crossing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) \u2013 <\/strong>Loqman Ahmi, spokesman of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), called on Saturday active powers in the Syrian issue and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to pressurize to re-activate al-Ya\u2019rubiyah (Tel Kocher) border crossing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmi told North Press that “the closure of the crossing has affected the access of humanitarian supplies to northeastern Syria.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tel Kocher border crossing is located on the Syrian- Iraqi border and was the most official crossing between the two countries prior to the Syrian conflict in 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the crossing\u2019s closure in 2019, which happened because of Russian-Chinese veto in the UNSC, 103 medical facilities were receiving aid across the crossing to northeastern Syria, according to a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Security Council in the beginning of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, the UNSC allowed aid deliveries into Syria through four border-crossings al-Ramtha crossing with Jordan, Bab al-Salameh, Bab al-Hawa with Turkey, and Tel Kocher with Iraq, that are not under the control of Syrian government. However, under pressure of Russia and China, the Security Council reduced them to one in the beginning of 2020, which is the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 12, 2022, the UNSC approved to extend lifesaving aid deliveries into northwest Syria through Bab al-Hawa with Turkey for a further six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since July 10, 2020, Bab al-Hawa has been the only crossing kept open to UN aid based on the resolution 2533 (2020), while the use of the others was curtailed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue of delivering humanitarian aid to AANES-held areas was exploited many times by Syrian government for political purposes, Ahmi added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He pointed out that the AANES was surprised by the decision of closing the only border crossing through which the humanitarian supplies to refugees and IDPs in the AANES-held areas were entering, despite of their insistence on the necessity of receiving more supplies and medications to cover the needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmi held the active powers in Syria and the UNSC accountable for the closure of the border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping the crossing closed will immediately affect the living situation of the IDPs in light of the deterioration of economy and draught that is overwhelming the area for the third year in a row area, he warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He called on the permanent members of the council to pressurize re-open the border crossing as soon as possible to avoid the increase of poverty and indigence especially in camps of the refugees and IDPs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesman stressed that the increasing poverty hinders the efforts to fight the Islamic State Organization (ISIS), creates a suitable environment for the deployment of ISIS and increases the difficulties of providing support for the IDPs and the refugees especially in Howl Camp, in Hasakah, in northeastern Syria, which shelters about 60.000 people.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He deemed that international community must hold its responsibilities, re-open Tel Kocher crossing, and break the imposed siege on the region by many parties including the Syrian government.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stressed that the AANES-held areas are a part of the Syrian territory, and the refugees and IDPs there have the right to get their portion of the international supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is scheduled on Jan. 12 that the UN will vote on the decision of extending the delivery of international humanitarian aid to Syria.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporting by Muhammad al-Omari<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n