No Coronavirus Tests in North and East Syria, No Water, No UN Aid: Syrian Democratic Times
by Syrian Democratic Times
The world’s richest and most powerful states have been overwhelmed by Coronavirus (COVID-19), with coffins lining the streets of European towns and martial law imposed from China to France. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), which cares for millions of civilians with less money and resources than virtually any state on the face of the planet, is on the verge of even greater catastrophe.
North and East Syria cannot count on any of the protections or aid offered to state actors, due to its lack of international recognition, and has been placed under an effective embargo by Russia and Turkey, severing vital aid flows. A dire humanitarian situation is being compounded by deliberate political choices, leaving North and East Syria at the cusp of disaster as coronavirus sweeps through the Middle East.
No UN aid
It is not just Turkey and the Assad regime, both intent on the destruction of the multi-ethnic democracy in North and East Syria, which have imposed an effective embargo on the autonomous regions. In January 2020, Russia exercised its veto at the UN Security Council to close the only UN aid crossing into North and East Syria.
This means all UN aid into Syria is now sent into areas controlled by al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham, extremist factions under the control of the Turkish intelligence service, or it is sent directly to the Assad regime. The AANES is forced to try and access UN aid via Damascus, but the reality is that most aid sent to Damascus lines the pockets of those close to the Assad regime, or remains in areas loyal to the regime. Little or to no aid ever arrives to the AANES.
No testing machines
The impact of this decision is felt from the testing stage on. There are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus in North and East Syria, but that is likely only because there is not a single PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing machine in the whole region. The only functioning test machines were lost in October 2019, when Turkey invaded the Kurdish-majority city of Sere Kaniye, shelling its hospital as part of an operation which left the only testing laboratory in North and East Syria inaccessible and inoperable.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided testing facilities in Idlib, controlled by al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham. Damascus also has testing laboratories. But thanks to the UN decision, North and East Syria is being denied access to these vital testing facilities. As such, AANES is reliant on stop-gap solutions like repurposed malaria tests and temperature checks, which give only an inaccurate picture of the patient’s condition.
