Amid dreadful living conditions and acute shortage of essentials | Many Syrians flee from the so-called “homeland” to north Syria region
As living conditions in regime-controlled areas have reached unprecedented catastrophic level, a large number of Syrian civilians, especially young people, have displaced to areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions, after crossing SDF-controlled areas, with the help of smugglers via routes supervised by military formations.
SOHR sources have reported the arrival of hundreds of civilians in areas controlled by Turkish-backed factions in the past few days, after having left regime-controlled areas in several provinces, such as Aleppo and Damascus.
According to SOHR sources, trips from regime-controlled areas to north Syria region starts with coordination between civilians who want to leave regime-controlled areas and smugglers affiliated with Turkish-backed factions. Smugglers take civilians in busses to SDF-controlled areas where they stay in Manbij city for several hours, before taking them to military posts then to Al-Ghandourah town, to the south of Jarabulus city in “Euphrates Shield” area.
The cost of this trip, which are conducted on a daily basis, ranges from 400 to 800 USD. In the past few days, the number of people leaving SDF-controlled areas for north Syria region was higher than earlier periods of time. This coincides with the deteriorating living conditions and sky rocketing prices of most of foodstuffs and basic products, along with the acute shortage of fuels. Some civilians have chosen to head to north Syria region, hoping that they can sneak into Turkey and European countries, while others stay with their relatives and acquaintance in north Syria.
Speaking to SOHR, a 70-year-old man known by his initials as M. D. said that he left Al-Zabadani area in Rif Dimashq province, heading to areas in the northern countryside Aleppo where he stayed with his relatives, confirming that the reason behind his displacement is manifested in the dire living conditions in regime-controlled areas. He said that smugglers, who are affiliated with Turkish-backed factions, took 600 USD to deliver him to areas controlled by Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, after crossing through SDF-controlled areas.
The man said, “the dire living conditions in Rif Dimashq province, as well as all areas controlled by regime forces across Syria, reached an alarming level in light of the prohibitively high prices, lack of basic products and almost-complete blackout, at a time when regime government continues mishandling the chronic crises in areas under its control.”
SOHR sources had reported that, today, that the exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the dollar hits a historic low record on the markets of Damascus and Aleppo. The selling rate of the Syrian lira reached 5,940 SYP and the buying rate was 6,000 SYP against the dollar, where this is the lowest value of the Syrian currency ever.
The plummet of Syrian pound coincided with the stifling crises, dilapidated economy in regime-held areas, corruption in regime’s institutions, greediness and exploitation by many officers and militia leaders and escape of Syrian businessmen from Syria. Since 2019, the Syrian pound lost 90 % of its value.
It is worth noting that most of the areas controlled by regime forces have experienced catastrophic situation which is manifested in the prohibitively high prices, acute shortage of fuels used for heating and complete blackout and interruption of gas in some areas; this, in turn, has led to unwelcome repercussions, such as disruption of education and schooling, as there are no means of transportation available to take students and professors to their schools and universities. Moreover, markets are in recession in light of the poor purchasing power, especially since the monthly salary of an employee in governmental institutions does not exceed 25 USD.