Internal displacement and world apathy | Families from Ras Al-Ain displaced in Al-Hasakah suffer severe shortage of food and heating

Dozens of families from Ras Al-Ain are displaced in a number of schools in Al-Hasakah due to Turkish military operations in 2019. The displaced families living in schools suffer from a shortage of the most basic essentials, as they are ignored and marginalised by international organisations.

Only a very few local organisations and “Autonomous Administration” provide the displaced people with a very small quantities of assistance that are not sufficient in light of the dire need of some basic essentials in the winter.

Speaking to SOHR, a displaced woman from Ras Al-Ain living in a school in Al-Hasakah city says that hunger kills them, and they have not received enough aid except for little support from some organisations operating in Al-Hasakah city.

The woman appeals, via the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, to all international organisations to support displaced families in schools with foodstuffs, blankets and heating materials.

Another displaced woman known by her initials as (K. M.), who lives in a school, says that soaring prices have burdened the displaced families, particularly prices of the necessities for children, such as milk, baby nappies and medicines. The authorities concerned must consider the displaced people’s conditions and provide assistance to them.

The woman added that displaced families suffer from the lack of fuel and foodstuffs, demanding providing aid and secure the most basic essentials to alleviate their suffering.

“Autonomous administration,” in turn, holds launching of military operations by Turkish forces responsibility for the displacement of civilians in areas in northern and eastern Syria, demanding opening “Tel Al-Yarubiyah” crossing to provide aid to the displaced people and warning of a humanitarian catastrophe.

“Autonomous administration,” also called on the international community and the United Nations to help and provide the necessary needs to improve the living conditions of thousands of displaced persons in the region, particularly people living in the camps.

In October 2019, Turkish forces and their proxy factions launched a large-escale offensive in areas of Ras Al-Ain, north of Al-Hasakah, and Tel Abyad, north of Al-Raqqah, in northern Syria, as part of a military operation dubbed “Peace Spring,”causing significant damage in the area and triggering the displacement of thousands of civilians from their homes towards areas north and east of Syria.