It has been almost two years since the start of the public unrest in Syria. While Syrian cities have been ravaged due to the clashes, Syrians are giving a struggle for survival. They are now fighting against both hunger and cold with the onset of the winter.
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, which has been carrying out relief efforts for Syrians both on the Turkish-Syrian border and inner parts of Syria since the start of the unrest in the country, continues to take winter relief to the people in Aleppo. Relief items taken to Aleppo by IHH aid teams have been delivered to the people in Merc’i mut, Babunneyrem ve Ess’ar in the south. The delivered aid items include blankets, warm clothes for children in particular, sweat suits, cardigans, coats, socks and caps.
IHH aid teams which went to Aleppo and southern parts of the city have closely seen the problems faced by the Aleppo people. There is a power cut in Aleppo because electricity networks were bombed. Since flour and diesel are sold on the black market, there is a serious shortage of bread. One loaf of bread which was sold at 25 Syrian pound is now being sold at 200 Syrian pound while the liter of diesel fuel which was 0,7 Syrian pound has risen to 200 Syrian pound.
Trees cut for heating
Residents of Aleppo have difficulty in heating after the onset of the winter. People cut the trees in the parks or on roadsides and burn them for heating.
Hours spent in queues
Sharing their impressions from the region, members from the IHH aid teams said there is a significant shortage of bread in the region. They said people wait in queues for 4-5 hours in order to get a loaf of bread, adding that most of the bakeries do not work in the city as flour and diesel fuel are sold on the black market. There are also mortar attacks on bakeries.
Garbage pile up in the streets
Municipal services and healthcare services in Aleppo are not offered sufficiently. Garbage is not collected in the city because diesel fuel is sold on the black market. Some of the garbage in the streets is collected and they are left on roadside.
Medical services are not offered sufficiently since hospitals have also been bombed in Aleppo. There is a significant shortage of medicine and medical supplies to give service to the patients in the region. There is need for medicine and antibiotics for children in particular due to the winter conditions.
