After more than 120 days of siege, the Kurdish Red Crescent (Heyva Sor a Kurd) has warned of a serious humanitarian crisis in the Druze city of Suweida in southern Syria. At a press conference in Qamishlo on Sunday, the organization reported on the situation on the ground based on witness statements, presented its relief efforts to date, and urged the international community to allow humanitarian access.
“The situation is catastrophic—especially for women, children, and the sick,” said Dilgeş Îsa, co-chair of the Kurdish Red Crescent. Since July, dozens of villages in northwestern Suweida have been targeted by attacks from Syrian government forces and allied militias, displacing numerous people, destroying medical facilities, and crippling basic services, he said.
According to Îsa, Heyva Sor took action immediately after the attacks began and launched aid campaigns in coordination with civilian initiatives in northern and eastern Syria. However, the siege made access extremely difficult. “We tried to bring in medicine and food, but our efforts were thwarted by numerous obstacles. Even the Arab Red Crescent was denied access,” Issa said.
Although the region is not completely sealed off currently, access functions “as if between two states,” Îsa continued. Basic foodstuffs, fuel, and medicine are only available from private traders at inflated prices. Deliveries from international aid organizations are not sufficient to meet the needs of local bakeries.
The situation is particularly dramatic for cancer patients, emphasized the organization’s co-chair, Hediya Abdullah. Many affected individuals have lost access to treatment options after hospitals were destroyed or ceased operations. The Amal Cancer Center in the region currently treats around 1,500 patients under extremely difficult conditions. “There is a shortage of medication, equipment, electricity, and staff,” said Abdullah. She noted that Heyva Sor has been able to provide medication and diagnostic services such as CT and MRI scans on an individual basis, but only with great effort.
In addition to medical aid, the Kurdish Red Crescent also provides support with basic supplies. According to Abdullah, four emergency shelters and four humanitarian kitchens have been set up, preparing up to 1,000 meals a day. In addition, a solar well has been installed in cooperation with the NGO Sanad, which is expected to cover around a quarter of the city’s water needs – an important project in view of the ongoing fuel crisis.
A total of 510 employees in the local healthcare system were left without pay. In order to enable them to continue their work, the Kurdish Red Crescent created financial incentives. Despite numerous obstacles, Abdullah announced that they intend to continue working with local initiatives in Suweida. “We hope that stability will return and that people will soon be able to return to their homes.”