Five attacks on vital facilities in January | Russian and Turkish forces target vital and service installations in Idlib, Al-Raqqa and Al-Hasaka
Russian bombardment has deprived more than 400,000 people of drinking water and Turkish shelling has deprived over 50 villages and towns of drinking and farm water
As indiscriminate bombardment continues in Syrian areas witnessing military operations, particularly by conflicting military forces in the north, northeast and northwest of Syria, the innocent Syrian civilians endure a horrific level of violence and pay the prices of these conflicts.
These bombardments claim innocent lives, destroy infrastructure and irrespective of their political affiliation, irrespective of where they are lived. However, these attacks are ongoing despite all demands and appeals to stop targeting civilians and their public and private property.
In January, the Syrian Observatory activists have documented the Russian and Turkish offensives on vital and service installations as Russian fighter jets hit a poultry farm in Armanaz town, north of Idlib, killing nearly 14,000 birds and bombarded Sejer water station near Idlib, which feeds the city and its western villages, putting the station out of service and depriving nearly 400,000 people of water.
While, the Turkish forces bombarded twice “Hiesha water station which feeds Al-Hiesha town and nearly 50 surrounding villages with drinking water and provides water supplies for irrigating a wide swath of land, nearly 130,000 dunams via underground pipeline networks and is located on Al-Raqqa-Tel Abyad road, east of Ain Issa, putting it completely out of service.
The Syrian Observatory activists have documented air and ground bombardment on vital public installations by the Russian and Turkish forces in Syrian territory as follows:
On January 1, Turkish heavy artillery hit public facilities and Abu Raseen “Zarkan” district’s Municipality building in north-western Al-Hasakah, causing material damages.
On January 2, Russian fighter jets executed two airstrikes on Sejer water station, which feeds in Idlib city and its western villages, putting the station out of service and depriving nearly 400,000 people of water.
On January 3, a Russian fighter jet executed three airstrikes on a poultry farm in the vicinity of Armanaz town north-west of Idlib, injuring a family of five, including children, in addition to killing 14,000 birds.
Turkish forces fired artillery shells twice on “Hiesha” water station that is located on the road between Al-Raqqa and Tal Abyad in east Ain Issa, on January 12th, and 23rd, putting the station out of service.
It is worth noting that the station provides water supplies for irrigating a wide swath of land, nearly 130,000 dunams in villages of Al-Hiesha, Al-Fatsha, Sakiro, Al-Sharkeraq and Hamam Al-Turkman via underground pipeline networks. The station also feeds Al-Hiesha town and nearly 50 surrounding villages with drinking water. So, the suspension of the station’s service had worsened the suffering of the people in the region that experiences almost daily Turkish attacks.
We, at The Syrian Observatory, condemn the attacks and targeting of vital and service facilities by all conflicting and warring powers in Syrian territory. We also call on the international community to exert pressure on these forces to stop targeting facilities that serve civilians and have nothing to do with military factions.