45,000 civilians displaced by fighting in Hasakah: UN

“Civilian casualties have been reported and about 45,000 people have been displaced from their homes.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/01/24 19:13

45,000 civilians were reportedly displaced in Hasakah city during the four days of fighting. (Photo: Mohammed Hassan / Twitter)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – About 45,000 people have been displaced from their homes in the Kurdish-controlled city of Hasakah in northeast Syria due to ongoing clashes between ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

“On 20 January, an attack on [Sina'a] prison in Al-Hasakah city resulted in rapidly escalating hostilities with gunfire and explosions reported from the area,” read a Joint statement on Sunday by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Imran Riza, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Muhannad Hadi.

“Civilian casualties have been reported and about 45,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Most of the displaced people have sought safety with family and friends in nearby areas. About 500 people are being hosted at two temporary shelters.”

The statement added that due to the cold winter conditions across Syria this week, affected people urgently need basic supplies, including food and other household items.

“Humanitarian organizations are scaling up to assess and respond to the needs of those who have fled their homes. Unhindered humanitarian access by all concerned parties is paramount to ensure emergency assistance reaches affected people,” the UN officials said.

Separately, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday said a massive security operation was launched by the SDF in nearby Ghwayran and al-Zouhour neighborhoods with airstrikes and gunfire reported as of Jan. 20.

Since Jan. 20, Ghwayran and al-Zouhour communities "have not had access to public services including health services and potable water as well as essential items such as heating fuel and bread,” OCHA said.

The EU aid organization Echo on Monday said the fighting “displaced some 5,500 families from the [Ghwayran] area towards the center of [Hasakah] City, with around 1,050 families arriving in the Damascus-controlled area of the city.”

As of Jan. 23, a total lockdown has been announced by the Autonomous Administration in Northeast Syria (AANES) in Hasakah for seven days due to the ongoing security situation.

OCHA said that approximately 9,000 families (45,000 people), including many women and children, are displaced to the Syrian government-controlled area in Hasakah.

“An additional 150 families (750 people) are hosted at two temporary shelters in Al-Hasakah city and Tel Hajar with more projected to arrive in the coming days,” OCHA said.

Farhad Hamo, the co-chair of the Organizations Affairs Office, told North Press news agency that relief organizations are not doing enough to help the displaced, which he said was not as high as the estimates used by the UN.

“The numbers stated by the Syrian government regarding the displacement of 45,000 people (the number also used by the UN) going to the Security Square are overstated and incorrect,” Hamo told North Press.

Mohammed Hassan, a journalist reporting from Hasakah, tweeted on Sunday that hundreds of civilians that fled the neighborhoods near the prison are stranded and sleeping in deserted halls.

The SDF on Monday said 300 ISIS prisoners who were part of a riot inside the Sana'a detention facility have surrendered to the SDF.

It also affirmed that the SDF and Internal Security Forces units continue to conduct a sweeping security campaign in the Ghwayran neighborhood to track down ISIS cells.

The Kurdish-led forces also said civilians were used as human shields by ISIS cells. “During clashes, 8 terrorists were eliminated, on the other hand, one of our fighters was martyred.”

On Sunday, the SDF said that around 200 ISIS fighters attacked the prison in Hasakah on Jan. 20.

According to the US-led coalition, the SDF continues to hold approximately 10,000 ISIS detainees, including approximately 8,000 Iraqis and Syrians, and about 2,000 from other countries. The SDF has repeatedly called on foreign countries to repatriate their citizens.