AFRIN, Syria — Syrian internally displaced people (IDPs) in Shahba camps are calling on the international community to provide them with humanitarian assistance, as the Syrian regime has put the region under siege for over five months.
More than 100,000 IDPs live in five camps in Syria’s Shahba region, which is located in Aleppo’s Afrin district. They fled their homes during Turkey’s “Olive Branch” military operation in 2018.
As a result of the Syrian government’s brutal siege, the region’s residents have been forced to live in dire conditions for five months. The consequences continue to have an adverse effect on IDPs, as they lack heating oil and medication, and children are suffering diseases because of poor access to healthcare.
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Ibrahim Sheikho is the director of the Afrin Human Rights Organization. According to him, over the past five months, the siege has resulted in “a dire situation that has led to a humanitarian catastrophe.”
“In the entire Shahba region, especially the residents of the five camps, there are over 25,000 children, including 3.000 with special needs, according to health authorities. They suffer from harsh conditions. The siege has affected all aspects of residents’ lives,” added Sheikho.
Sheikho also called on the international community to pressure the Syrian regime into lifting its siege on Shahba.
Along with power shortages, the lack of heating oil during the winter season has made life more difficult for IDPs. The majority of families cannot afford to buy heating oil due to financial hardships.
Reporting by Jihad Nabo
