International humanitarian organizations establish thousands of residential blocks in NW Syria, while residents complaint of their low quality
The sufferings of residents in makeshift camps on the Syria-Turkey border in north-west Syria region continue, although international organizations have established cement blocks with the aim to accommodate these displaced people, in an attempt to avoid the defects of tents made of plastic and cloth.
In the recent times, several international humanitarian organizations have turned these makeshift camps into residential cement blocks at low costs in order to relief the sufferings of the inhabitants during heavy rains and freezing temperature.
Reliable sources have reported that tens of the residential blocks established recently, in late 2020, have been collapsed in various camps in Idlib and Aleppo countryside because of their low quality, which spurred several inhabitants to raise complaints against the organizations in charge of implementing these projects. Meanwhile, the residents are afraid of the collapse of more blocks so soon, especially since these blocks have noticeably corroded and water leaked inside during winter.
On the other hand, the association of Turkish Red Crescent started to distribute 784 houses to residents as a part of a project aims to the establishment of 5,000 residential units in Sarmada area in Idlib countryside. The project also includes a small children’s park, a dispensary and a school. These units are supposed to be distributed to families displaced from various areas throughout Syria.
The reconstruction projects of residential blocks cover areas in Idlib and Aleppo countryside, while Turkish relief organizations assume the construction of 50,000 makeshift residential blocks instead of the tents.
Windstorm had hit the north-western regions of Syria, affecting dozens of tents housing displaced people from various parts of Syria, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that about 100 tents were blown out in refugee camps in Akhtareen town and the surrounding areas of Azaz city in north Aleppo countryside, the camps of Shahrnaz and Sarghaia near the city of Armanaz, north-west of Idlib, and some makeshift tents in various areas in Jisr Al-Shughor, west of Idlib, and near the border with Iskenderun region in the north-west of Idlib.
On March 12, SOHR sources reported that displaced people throughout Syria, particularly in refugee camps in Idlib and Aleppo, were plagued with poor weather conditions all year round. Every year, these camps’ inhabitants struggle with dire and catastrophic humanitarian conditions due to the freezing temperatures, heavy rain and windstorms in winter and the extreme hot in summer.
In this context, SOHR activists reported the destruction of scores of tents accommodated displaced families in several areas in Aleppo and Idlib countryside. According to SOHR sources, nearly 50 camps sustained considerable damage due to the heavy winds and rainstorm which struck the north-west Syria region, which destroyed and blown away tens of tents. In addition, off-roads leading to the camps were cut off.
