HESNA MİHEMED

Shahba- Thousands of people were forcibly displaced from Afrin to Shahba after the Turkish state and Turkish-backed faction occupied the city on March 18, 2018. Living in Shahba, the displaced people of Afrin have been subjected to ongoing Turkish attacks and faced difficult living conditions due to the siege imposed by the Syrian government on the region for five years. Due to the siege, the residents of Shahba have no access to essential supplies such as medicines and fuel. The siege directly affects the region's economy and health sector. The residents also suffer from price hikes caused by the siege.

‘People cannot make ends meet’

Speaking about the effect of the siege on the economy of the region, Rehîma Kinco, member of the Afrin-Shahba Economy Council, said, “People are prevented from accessing essential supplies due to the siege and therefore face many difficulties. Shahba is an agricultural region so the only source of income for many people is agriculture; however, they cannot access agricultural materials due to the siege. The siege also decreases job opportunities in the region. For this reason, people cannot make ends meet anymore and face many challenges.”

Eliya Mihemed, Co-chair of the Afrin-Shahba Health Organization, talked about the effect of the siege on the health sector in the region.

“The Syrian government has imposed a siege on Shahba for five years. This siege deprives thousands of essential supplies. The health sector is also affected by the siege; we suffer from the lack of medical supplies. There are seriously sick people, who need to take medicines every day. Due to the siege, we cannot provide medicines to sick people. International human rights organizations and health organizations make great efforts to lift the siege imposed on the region.”