FİDAN ABDULLAH

Shahba- The Women's Defense Units (YPJ) and the People's Defense Units (YPG) liberated some parts of Shahba from Jabhat al-Nusra and Turkey-backed factions in 2016. In 2018, when Turkey started its attacks to occupy Afrin, the borders of Shahba changed and Turkey-backed factions were placed in one part of Shahba while Syrian regime forces were placed in the other part. In the areas which are under the control of the factions, an embargo has been imposed on people and the people are not allowed to meet their basic needs.

“A harsh winter awaits us”

Fatima Abdo is a resident of an internally displaced people (IDPs) camp in Shahba. “In winter, we face many difficulties although we try to protect ourselves from rain and snow. We tried to build houses by using stones and soils; however, we could not.  Those who prevent us from meeting our most basic needs, leaving us in these conditions by forcibly displacing us, carry out inhuman practices against us. In addition to financial difficulties, we do not have a safe shelter for our children. A harsh winter awaits us, many children and old people will get sick this winter if we do not receive any support,” Fatima Abdo told NuJINHA.

Call for help

Another resident of an IDPs camp in Shahba, Amina Hassan said, “Winter means pain and suffering for us. When it rains, our tents are flooded and our tents do not protect us from windy weather. We face many difficulties in the camp in winter.”

Especially children face risks

Jamila Nabo told us that they suffer both in winter and summer. “We always face difficulties. In winter, our children get sick due to the cold, lack of medicine and heating materials in winter. The tents we live in are made from lightweight plastic and we cannot get warm in winter. We also suffer from high prices of fuel and medicines.”

“We cannot meet our needs”

Colizar Othman sells vegetables at a street market in Shahba. Talking about the high prices of goods, she said, “We cannot meet our vital needs due to high prices of fuel and goods. I work with my husband both in summer and winter to survive.”