Emergency alert declared: Türkiye cuts off water supplies for Northern Syria

In the province of Al-Hassaka, situated in Northeastern Syria, an emergency alert was officially declared. The political leaders of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) declared the province of Al-Hassaka an “area of diaster” after Türkiye again cut off water supplies for the region. The statement further accused Russia and the Syrian government of being complicit in this transgression.

The provision with safe drinking water for more than one million people in the region is mainly ensured by the Alouk water station near the town of Serê Kanîyê (arab. Ras al-Ain), situated at the Turkish border. However, since Turkey has occupied the city and thus, also encroached on the Alouk water station as part of the large-scale military invasion in 2019, water supplies to the region were significantly reduced or even completely cut off. According to the drinking water authority of AANES, water supplies have been cut off for more than 40 times since then; during the last time even longer than 8 months.

The repercussions for the people in region are dreadful. The region displays higher temperatures than the average. In recent years there always were long periods of drought. Due to the lack of safe drinking water and water pollution, various diseases broke out in the region in the past, including a cholera epidemic. After the water supply was resumed at the beginning of June under the mediation of UNICEF, the provision has now been cut off again, so that AANES was forced to also cut off the power supply for the water station. According to the agreement, AANES shall supply the necessary electricity and receive water in return, but although electricity had been guaranteed since April, nothing arrived until June.

The region has long lamented Turkey’s continued use of water as a weapon. The water supply is not only blocked at the water station near Alouk, but also in the rivers that flow through Turkey to Syria. As a result, the Khabur tributary of the Euphrates in Northern Syria has almost completely dried up.

Issa Younes, co-chair of AANES’ General Authority for Drinking Water, told the North Press Agency that people are suffering due to the dreadful consequences and that this practice is “a crime against humanity”. In fact, Türkiye’s actions are also prohibited under international regulations, however, amid the absence of any international reaction, Türkiye has persisted with these practices for years.