Displacement and lack of jobs — due to gross overpopulation — have battered civilian lives in Nothern Syria, coming along with the COVID-19 pandemic in the region and the suspension of some services. These factors were not only the causes that exacerbated civilians’ collective suffering in the region. Now, the approaching winter imposes pressure on people in northern Syria, who need to secure necessary heating materials. These have been impossible for many to purchase, given the high prices of fuel, firewood, and Pyrene molds.
Abu Ibrahim was displaced from the southern Idleb countryside to camps northwest of Idleb. He has a family of seven, the eldest of whom is 13 years old. Abu Ibrahim has spent this year in a constant state of displacement, from one camp to another, in search of a decent living for himself and his family.
“I moved from the first camp I was living in because of its distance from populated areas. I went to a camp next to the city of Kafr Takharim, northwest of Idleb, because I could easily get a job there to earn a small salary to meet basic essentials. But the scarcity of jobs, due to overpopulation in the area, denied me this opportunity. Instead, I would work for one day and then wait for three days for another opportunity,” he told Baladi News.
Read Also: Lockdown Hits IDPs Living off Daily-Paid Jobs in Northeast Syria
“I do not know how we will spend the winter days in our cloth tent, which does not shelter my childrens’ bodies,” Abu Ibrahim said.
More than 1.5 million people live in camps in liberated areas in northwestern Syria, 90 percent of whom suffer from harsh humanitarian and living conditions. These people suffer due to displacement, reduced job creation, scarcity of humanitarian assistance, and high prices. Their plight attracts no attention from relevant authorities like the Tahrir al-Sham Salvation Government and the Syrian National Coalition’s interim government, who could help the needy to secure their main supplies.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
