The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

220 families in “Al-Wastaniyah” Camp west of Idlib suffer from poor humanitarian conditions with no school or services

For years, the areas of the western countryside of Idlib have been the destination for thousands of people displaced from the “de-escalation” zone in the southern countryside of Idlib and both northern and western countryside of Hama. Many makeshift camps spread in the western countryside of Idlib, where they were established after the latest escalation on these areas and the control of the regime forces over large spaces of them, which caused the displacement of about 1000000 persons towards the Syrian North, the village of Sheikh Youssef alone, contains 4 camps accommodate hundreds of displaced families.

Like the other camps, these camps suffer from poor living conditions, and lack most of basic requirements, the camp of Al-Wastaniyah is one of these camps, it lives a real tragedy as a result of being not adopted by any organization, it has not received any kind of aid, as well.

In his testimony to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, one of those in charge of the camp talked about the camp’s deteriorated living and services situation: he said “the camp of Al-Wastaniyah is located at the southern outskirts of Sheikh Youssef village in the western countryside of Idlib. It was established on the 10th of June 2019, after the mass displacement after the escalation operations and the heavy bombardment that targeted the villages and towns of the southern countryside of Idlib, and both northern and western countryside of Hama, nearly 220 families live in the camp, where it lack all necessities of life, and since it was established, it has not been supported by any organization, with the exception of being provided with bread by one of the organization.

“The displaced people in this camp are suffering from very poor humanitarian conditions, as a result of lack of food, supplies, potable water and other requirements, the camp also suffers from lack of tents, where displaced people are still coming to it. We contacted with many humanitarian organizations in order to get a number of tents, but for no avail, also some very worn tents need to be replaced as they became uninhabitable because of being already used before the camp was established. The camp is located on an area above the sea level, so the damage caused by the rain was not considerable, and it was limited to only few tents, but the camp’s ground need to be leveled and to pave a road from the camp to the surrounding areas, it also lack a medical point and a school” the source added.

“There are also some cases in the camp that need financial assistance of widows, elderly people and other cases with special needs, and with the entry of winter and the harsh cold, the displaced people became in need of heating materials and other requirements of blankets and clothes, they are unable to secure all of such requirements because of being extremely poor, some of them headed to work in olive harvesting within workshops in the area for little wages that do not exceed 700 SYL a day, which is not enough for buying even a single meal, so we appeal to every humanitarian organizations to lend a helping hand for those families as soon as possible, and to secure their needs” he added.

For his part, one of the displaced people in Al-Wastaniyah Camp from Al-Jabin village in the northern countryside of Hama, talked about his suffering in the camp: saying “I have displaced with my family of 6 members as well as my 70-year-old father to the camp of Al-Wastaniyah, after the violent escalation campaign on areas of Idlib and Hama countryside and the regime forces control over several cities and villages including my village.”

We live harsh conditions here in this camp, along with astronomical increase in prices, lack of job opportunities and lack of basic supplies, with no organizations or any other parties to support this camp, and with the entry of winter, our suffering aggravated and the situation of displaced people in the camp has significantly deteriorated, where most of them turned to collect wood and set them on fire for heating because of the fuel high prices, each family gets a bundle of bread, and has to buy the rest of its requirements in the shadow of the increase in prices of all goods, at the same time, we suffer from the lack of near shops to get such requirements, also there is no a medical point or a school, we call upon all organizations and relevant authorities to secure even a part of the camp’s requirements most important of which are the heating materials, blankets and clothes for children” he added.