The water supply in the Al-Hasakah province in northern Syria, where more than 1 million people live, has been resumed with the mediation of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the Warring Parties, the center's spokesman Alexei Isaichev told reporters.
In 2019, Turkey conducted a Peace Spring military operation in the Syrian provinces of Al-Hasakah and Raqqa, creating a 30-kilometer security zone along the Turkish border. The Aluk Sharqi water pumping station, which supplies water to settlements in the province, came under Turkish control. The Turkish side has repeatedly interrupted the water supply.
"Through negotiations with the Turkish side and organizing personal meetings, we were able to agree and find a compromise to resume water supply to the settlements of the Al-Hasakah Province from this water pumping station," said Isaichev. In turn, the Turkish side has received guarantees to increase the supply of electricity to the territories under its control.
"Russia made the main contribution to solving the province's water supply problem. A lot of work has been done to coordinate the contentious points with the Turkish side. Both with regard to water and electricity. Thanks to this, the water issue is now resolved. I thank our Russian friends for their help", the provincial governor Hasan Khalil said.
Because of the absence of a centralized water supply, a humanitarian catastrophe was breaking out in the province. According to Syrian medics, more than 600 people have been admitted to the hospital in the city of Al-Hasakah over the past month suffering from a lack of water or its poor quality. "Poisoning, intestinal problems, dehydration. And the state until this day, until the arrival of water, could not provide any means except for medicine. And water is an indispensable thing for the hospital and the patients are in dire need of it," said Isa Khalaf, chief physician of the city hospital.
Earlier it was reported that Damascus considers Turkey's presence as an illegal occupation. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly issued statements condemning the "inhumane" attitude of the Turkish military authorities towards the population of the Al-Hasakah province.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS