Makeshift camps | 1,500 families living in west Deir Ezzor countryside and receiving no supplies

There are many camps refugee camps near the centres of villages of the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor to the north and east of Euphrates river. These camps, which were established by their inhabitants in 2017, accommodates 1,500 displaced families and these camps are scattered in the area from al-Jazarat and al-Kisway in the west to al-Hisan and al-Jininah village in the east and al-Izbah and Ma’ayzilah villages to the north.

 

These camps are considered a safe haven to the people fleeing the repression of the Syrian regime and Iranian-backed militiamen in the region’s cities and villages, including al-Shimaytiyyah, al-Tabni, Maadan. Al-Shawla, al-Bokamal, al-Asharah, al-Mayadeen, Ayyash, al-Bighayliyah, al-Salihiyah, Hatla, al-Hesayniyah, Tabiyyah, Marrat, Khesham and several neighbourhoods of Deir Ezzor city.

 

The displaced people in these camps have been suffering from poor health conditions, alarming prevalence of coronavirus, high prices of fuel, lack of drinking water, lack of food, substances used for heating and waterproof covers for their tents. These camps’ inhabitants also can not get bread subsidized by the “Autonomous Administration” easily, at a time when they have no aid by humanitarian organizations.

 

In a testimony to SOHR, A. A. a displaced civilian from Ayyash village who has survived from the regime’s prisons and living now in al-Zeghair camp which accommodates nearly 170 families said “I do not want to return to areas under the control of the Syrian regime because of the crimes they have committed, and I a am afraid of being arrested again.”

 

A 55-year-old man from al-Shawla, who lives in Muhaymidah camp which is inhabited by nearly 200 families from al-Shawla and Ayyash areas and the village of al-Husainiyyah, has complained of the poor health conditions and the lack of essential needs, especially clean drinking water, as a barrel of water is sold for 2,000 SYL.

 

Despite this dire living situation, the families in these camps have stated that they do not want to return to their areas, fearing the reaction of regime forces and Iranian-backed militias which control their cities and villages.

 

The displaced people have appealed to the International Coalition to liberate the region of west Euphrates from the Iranian-backed militias, so that they can be safer like it did in east Euphrates region by liberating the region from ISIS.