AANES discusses humanitarian needs in NE Syria with Italian officials

During the meeting that took place in Rome, the AANES delegation focused on the limited humanitarian assistance due to the siege imposed on the region.

In July 2014, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 2165 which authorized cross-border humanitarian aid delivery to Syria through four border crossings including al-Ramtha with Jordan, Bab al-Salama and Bab al-Hawa with Turkey, and al-Ya’rubiyah/Tel Kocher with Iraq, without the consent of the Syrian government.

In January 2020, the U.N. Res. 2504 reduced the number of border crossings to only Bab al-Salama and Bab al-Hawa for six months open to renewal in a special meeting by the UNSC.

Since July 2020, Bab al-Hawa has been the only crossing kept open to U.N. aid based on Res. 2533 (2020), while the use of the others was curtailed.

The AANES delegation included Abdulkarim Omar, AANES representative in Europe; Roxana Muhammad, spokeswoman for the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ); and Media Hassan, co-chair representative of the AANES in Switzerland.

The delegation from the AANES discussed the economic and humanitarian challenges facing the region under the siege imposed on it, despite the region’s economic difficulties and the international community’s failure to deliver aid.

Representatives of the AANES recognized the necessity for the international community to directly engage with them regarding humanitarian assistance. This is because all aid provided enters areas under the control of the Syrian government and is prevented from reaching the areas of the AANES.

The delegation of the AANES also raised concerns about the potential return of ISIS due to the Turkish attacks on northeast Syria, and called on the international community to assume its responsibility towards the families of ISIS militants. They also emphasized the need to resolve the issue of detainees affiliated with ISIS.

The delegation demanded that international entities and relevant institutions take action to hold Turkey accountable for its violations, which are considered war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law.

The Italian officials, headed by Lea Quartabelli, Vice-Chairman of the Italian Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, stated that they will present the issues discussed to their government, particularly focusing on the Turkish attacks and the threat of ISIS. Additionally, they promised to send a committee to assess the humanitarian situation in northern and eastern Syria and explore ways and mechanisms to deliver aid to the region.