Local administration restores damaged water pipeline in northeast Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Water was restored to nearly half-a-million civilians in northeast Syria on Saturday after engineers from the local Kurdish-self-administration repaired a crucial water pipeline that mortar shelling had damaged earlier.

On April 3, shelling by Turkish-backed armed groups caused severe damage to a water pipeline, which supplies Hasakah province with water.

“There is water for now and yesterday at this time, the waterline was fixed,” the co-chair of the Directorate of Water in Hasakah, Suzdar Ahmed, told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday.

“However, in the morning, there was a problem with the electricity, but it was then resolved. Now, water is being distributed to people,” Ahmed said.

However, she added that it is unclear if the water would be cut again in the future. “We don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

Turkish-backed militias have regularly cut off water to Hasakah province since October 2019, demanding that Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria provide more electricity to areas under their control. 

Under Russian mediation, though, northeastern Syria has been providing electricity to the Turkish-occupied areas in exchange for water flow from the Alouk water station.

The Alouk station is located near the border town of Serekaniye, which Turkey and its militant proxies took control of in October, during its so-called Peace Spring Operation. 

UNICEF and human rights organizations have criticized the interruption of water to civilians in Hasakah, many of whom are displaced and desperately need the resource during the coronavirus pandemic for hygiene and drinking purposes.

Ilham Ahmed, President of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), told Kurdistan 24 on Saturday that Turkey and Turkish-backed groups need to agree to a ceasefire and stop the regular cutting of water to Hasakah province.

During the past week, Turkish-backed groups bombarded several areas in northern Syria amid a UN appeal for a ceasefire, supported by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

“Every time they shell, dozens of people are being victimized. This should come to an end and we are ready for any steps leading to that whether via negotiations or dialogue,” the SDC official concluded.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany