The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Aleppo | Over 250,000 people in Al-Bab city to lose drinking water, inhabitants launch “al-Bab is thirsty“ campaign

Aleppo province: SOHR activists have reported that inhabitants of Turkish-backed factions al-Bab city eastern Aleppo have launched appeals and a campaign titled “al-Bab is Thirsty ” after most of the wells in the region which supply water to the al-Bab city ran dry. Additionally, cut off the water coming from al-Raee city continues due to the decline of aid and the increase of cost of the water. Pumping water costs around 100,000 US dollars per month from al-Raee city because of the fuel increasing prices that have worsened the water crises, and hiked costs of the water pumping and transportation while the Summer is at doors with growing temperatures with a possibility of causing disaster.

The price of a five-barrel house water tank reaches 20 TL which is equivalent to more than 2.5 US dollars and is equal to an eight-hour full-day worker’s wage.

Drinking water prices increase daily due to the increasing demand and the water tanks owners’ greed amid the inability of local councils to find alternative solutions. The situation has worsened with regime forces cutting off the drinking water from Ain al-Baydaa city which was supplying al-Bab city with water.

SOHR local sources in al-Bab city have confirmed that wells ran dry due to the decreasing winter rainfall and also some water wells became undrinkable.

Local councils exert much effort to secure drinking water through Syrian regime-held areas that still refuse to provide al-Bab city with drinking water arguing that the city is out of their control.

Al-Bab city hosts over 250,000 people, most of them are displaced families with an estimated number of 60,000 families from the provinces of Damascus, Reef Dimashq, Homs, Hama and other areas in eastern Syria.