Border Closure Obstructs Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to AANES
*Originally published at North Press
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The closure of Tel Kochar/al-Ya’rubiyah border crossing put the burdens on the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) regarding the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the camps, an official said on Sunday.
Tel Kochar crossing, on Syrian-Iraqi border, has been closed to UN humanitarian access to northeast Syria since 2020 due to a veto used by Russia and China.
Speaking to North Press, Farouq al-Mashi, co-chair of Social Affairs and Labor Board, said the closure of the crossing point burdens the AANES in the process of humanitarian assistance delivery.
Camps in AANES-held areas shelter IDPs whose houses were destroyed in the war.
During the Syrian conflict, the AANES set up several camps such as Arisha, Newroz, Washokani and Roj.
Following the Turkish invasion of Afrin, Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad in 2018 and 2019, the AANES opened new camps like al-Awda, Sardam, Shahba, Afrin, Tel Abyad, Mahmoudli, and two camps in Manbij city.
Lately, waves of displacement from places adjacent to Syrian opposition factions’ areas, most notably from Tel Abyad, took place.
“The closure of Tel Kochar crossing has put a heavy burden on us and affected the delivery of humanitarian aid,” al-Mashi said.
He called the UN Security Council to reopen the crossing saying “the crossing plays a key role in humanitarian and aid delivery to northeast Syria”.