The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Having become homeless | Earthquake survivors blackmailed by greedy smugglers

Al-Raqqah province: Repercussions of the devastating earthquake, which hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, are still affecting Syrians who have survived the earthquake and rescued from rubble in both Syria and Turkey.

 

A few days ago, Turkish authorities issued a decision granting Syrians in Turkish province affected by the earthquake unpaid leaves of three to six months; has exacerbated the situation of Syrian survivors further.

 

Several Syrian families of 1,300 to 1,500 people, including children and women, crossed into Syria through Tel Abyad crossing on the Syria-Turkey border. However, the residents of Deir Ezzor, Al-Raqqah, Al-Hasakah and Manbij have failed to reach their areas, as roads are blocked by Turkish-backed factions. Accordingly, smugglers started to exploit the disastrous situation and have asked those who have come recently from Turkey to pay large sums of money in return for helping them reach their areas.

 

Meanwhile, residents, activists and tribes set large tents in Tel Abyad city and started collecting donations to help Syrians stranded in Tel Abyad. However, relevant authorities have not reached an agreement so far regarding the opening of humanitarian corridors to the northern countryside of Al-Raqqah and city centres, so that families can reach their areas.

 

Speaking to SOHR, a 35-year-old female survivor of the earthquake from Al-Raqqah city, who was in the Turkish Urfa city when the earthquake took place, says “we left our homes with the cloths we were wearing and a little money. smugglers asked me to give them 100 USD for every member of my family in order to help us to reach our area. I had only 4,000 TL, but I accepted to give the money to a smuggler who took us to a house, before we walked for four hours through orchards and forests, despite the cold weather, until we reached another house. We later took a car to my family’s house. The route used for smuggling is very risky. A humanitarian corridor has to be opened for earthquake-affected people.”