Looming threat in Shehba: Water

With the summer heat coming in, the Shehba region, with hundreds of thousands of migrants from Afrin following the Turkish invaion attacks, is having issues with water.

The people of Afrin who migrated to the Shehba region following the invasion attacks by the Turkish state and their allied gangs continue their struggle in the second phase of the resistance. The people have made Afrin into their qibla, and continue to brave every difficulty that comes. Especially with the weather getting warmer, one of the biggest problems the people of Afrin face is increasingly becoming the water issue.

Shehba gets most of its water from wells, and the wells are failing to provide for the people following the great wave of migration into Shehba. Despite issues with both the wells and the supply of equipment necessary to extract and distribute the water, institutions in Shehba work with institutions from Afrin and fulfill the need for water.

Fafînê Municipality Public Relations Official Zehra Hec Mûsa stated that their means is not enough to meet the need for water for the people and added: “In the Shehba region our means were limited to begin with, but the population was not too high. We were serving the people with what we had. But especially after the people from Afrin arrived, our burden has doubled. The resources we have are not enough to serve.”

Zehra Hec Mûsa stated that the wells are not being tested at all, and that bears serious risks: “One of the basic services of the municipality is providing water for the people. Here, most of the water comes from wells, but there are significantly fewer generators, water pumps and wells here than we need. We need some support in this matter.”

Sîdo Sîdo, who used to work in the Afrin Municipality before the invasion and is working to provide water for the people in the Shehba region now, said: “I used to work in the municipality in Afrin, and after migrating here I started to participate in municipal efforts again. We started to provide many services like water, cleaning and various others. Right now, providing water is a priority for us. We will overcome all issues, and we will return to our Afrin. Because these lands belong to us.”

Sîdo Sîdo called on the people of Afrin with, “There can be migrations, there can be wars, but what is important for us is the resistance,” and continued: “We don’t consider the migration to be that big of an issue. What is important for us is the resistance. Our service to our people will continue. Whatever our people need, we will provide. We will continue with this struggle together.”