The ongoing attacks on North and East Syria by the Turkish state and ISIS and HTS militias are causing a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the region.
According to data shared by people’s councils, since the beginning of January, as a result of the continuing attacks, 136,000 people, most of them from Afrin and Serêkaniyê, have been forced to flee from the rural areas of Tabqa, Raqqa, Ayn Issa, and Hasakah to the Cizre Canton.
Displaced civilians are struggling to survive in mosques, schools, churches, and hastily established temporary shelters. The worsening winter conditions have further deepened the crisis. Children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses are at life-threatening risk due to the cold.
On Sunday, the death of a sick 13-year-old child who had been staying in a mosque in Qamishlo due to the cold became one of the most painful examples of the ongoing tragedy. The lack of medical teams and heating facilities is raising fears that similar cases will increase.
The majority of the displaced population consists of women and children. Many mothers are unable to find enough clothing and blankets to protect their babies from the cold. Poor hygiene conditions pose serious health risks, especially for infants. Women are trying both to care for their children and to survive amid uncertainty.
Elderly people staying in the shelters are also experiencing very difficult conditions due to the cold weather and lack of access to healthcare services. Many elderly people and those with chronic illnesses who require regular medication are unable to continue their treatment.
Baby supplies such as milk and diapers, heating materials like blankets and stoves, food parcels, clean water sources, as well as medicine and healthcare services are among the most urgent priorities. Aid trucks sent by some humanitarian organizations remain far below what is needed.
Impossible to stay in this cold
A displaced person from Serêkaniyê described their experience as follows: “We were previously in a camp in Hesekê. When the attacks began, we had to come here with our family. The weather is very cold. Our children are getting sick. Staying in this mosque is not sustainable. Yesterday, a 13-year-old child who was staying here could not endure the cold and died. Our only wish is for the war to end and to be able to return to our home.”
Another displaced woman drew attention to the growing needs: “Families who arrived before us left some of their belongings, but it is not enough. Today, five more families arrived. What we need most are diapers and milk. We cannot find anything for our children.”
Despite all the hardships, the shared demand of the displaced civilians is clear: to be able to return to their own homes in a safe environment. However, the ongoing attacks and uncertainty make this hope increasingly difficult with each passing day.