afrinpost-Exclusive
The villages and towns of the Shahba region in the northern Aleppo countryside have ground to a near standstill as institutions and schools cease operations due to the ongoing blockade imposed by the Syrian regime’s Fourth Division since November 20.
The Fourth Division’s checkpoints have reinstated the siege on the Shahba region by restricting the entry of fuel and tightening control over forcibly displaced residents, exacerbating the depletion of fuel supplies as winter sets in.
Consequently, employees and officials in local councils have ceased work, with the majority of transportation services coming to a halt. The operations of Afrin Hospital are now limited to handling emergency cases only, eliciting widespread public discontent as civilians, especially those undergoing treatment in the region’s sole hospital, are put at risk.
Our correspondent in the region emphasized that the continued siege will negatively impact water distribution, which relies on transport tankers. This raises concerns of an impending humanitarian catastrophe, particularly given the silence of relevant authorities despite repeated pleas from locals to lift the blockade.
On November 24, municipalities under the Shahba region’s administration announced the suspension of all power generators due to a shortage of diesel fuel.
The Fourth Division, in control of the region’s entrances and exits, manipulates humanitarian aid, fuel, and medicines entering the area by imposing substantial financial levies. This exploitative measure tightens the noose on residents and displaced individuals from Afrin, aiming to displace and empty the region.
