“Peace Spring” area | Dire living conditions push civilians to immigrate to Turkey
All zones of influence across Syria have experienced scores of economic hardships and crises, the most prominent of which are manifested in the acute shortage of fuels and low income.
In this context, residents in Ras Al-Ain city, which was captured by Turkish forces and their proxy factions during “Peace Spring” operation in 2019, are struggling with dreadful living conditions in light of the lack of essentials, especially with the beginning of winter and residents’ need of diesel for heating, which is smuggled from SDF-controlled area.
The crossing used for smuggling fuels are run by “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah” and Al-Hamzat factions which sell fuels in Ras Al-Ain city at high prices, where the price of a barrel of diesel has reached one million Syrian liras; this, in turn, spurred civilians to turn to other heating materials, such as fire logs which is sold in the so-called “Al-Farrouj market. It is worth noting that Turkish-backed factions continue illegal logging in different areas in north Syria.
Speaking to SOHR, a 60-year-old displaced man known by his initials as K. H. says “the cities markets are in recession in light of the poor purchasing power and dire living conditions. The prices of most of goods and materials are very high, and it is not easy to get a pack of bread or a barrel of diesel, because of the National Army’s domination on trade and all aspects of life.”
A member of “Suleiman Shah” faction known as Abu Otaybah has told SOHR that he arrived in Ras Al-Ain city with his family from Aleppo. The man says, “the faction’s leader settled me in a house belongs to displaced people. I receive a monthly salary estimated to be 400,000 SYP. My salary is enough for only one week in light of the noticeable skyrocketing prices. I have to work for another shift in order to be able to secure my family’s need.” The member participate with a group of the same faction in smuggling people to Turkey by securing a safe way during their guard shift at crossings and checkpoints.
Another woman known as F. T. has told SOHR that she cannot head to the city’s market for buying the things she needs, as factions oppress civilians crossing through checkpoints by taking levies from them. This oppression forced the woman to grow vegetables in a farmland near her house, where she depend on underground water to irrigate her plants and use solar energy to extract water.
In light of the current situation, most of the residents in “Peace Spring” area are attempting to sneak to Turkey and then to Europe, fleeing from the deteriorating security situation and dire living conditions.