The embargo seeking to choke the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), that even bans basic needs and medical supplies, continues. Despite the recent earthquakes centered in Pazarcik and Elbistan, neither the embargo nor attacks against the region have stopped.

There are four border crossings between North-East Syria and Syria. These crossings are opened only intermittently. The crossing in Tabqa is open for passengers but has remained closed for commercial transits since March 20, 2021. The Al-Bu Asi crossing on the Aleppo Road, which is also in Tabqa, is open only for passengers. The Tayha-Abu Kahaf crossing in Manbij has been closed since March 20, 2021. The Salihiye crossing in Deir ez-Zor is open for passengers but is currently closed. There are two crossings in Manbij between North-East Syria and the areas under Turkish occupation and where mercenaries are stationed. The Umm al-Julud and the Awn Al-Dadat crossings are used for both commercial transport and passengers.

Semalka Border Crossing: The border crossing is located on the Tigris River between Rojava and Bashur (South Kurdistan, North Iraq). It was opened for patients and commercial transport after the Hêwler Meeting between Rojava Kurdistan People's Assembly and the Encumena Niştimani ya Kurd (Kurdish National Council) in 2013. However, the crossing is used as a political trump by the Pêşxabûr (Faysh Khabur) Border Crossing Administration on the other side, which keeps exacerbating the embargo on the Rojava Autonomous Administration areas.

Al-Waleed: This is a border crossing opened between Rojava and South Kurdistan on April 4, 2017 in the Kocherat region of the Dêrik district. The Al-Walid Border Crossing, 35 km from the Semalka Border Crossing, is controlled by the KDP forces. It was opened in 2017 to allow the passage of construction materials such as cement and iron.

Til Kocher (Al-Yaroubia) Border Crossing: It is the second largest border crossing between Syria and Iraq. The border crossing, which is 60 km from Derik, 90 km from Qamishlo and 135 km from Hesekê, was liberated from ISIS by the YPG and YPJ in October 2013. From 2014 onwards, aid from the UN is allowed through the other three crossings on the border of Jordan and Turkey. However, all passages, including the aid delivered to the region, have been suspended after a vote of Russia and China.

Tal Abyad Border Crossing: The border crossing is used for commercial transport between Syria and Turkey. The crossing has been under the occupation of the Turkish state and its mercenary groups since October 2019. It is called Akçakale Border Crossing by Turkey.

Serêkaniyê Border Crossing: The border crossing, located between the city of Serêkaniyê in Rojava and the city of Urfa in Bakur (North Kurdistan, Southeast Turkey), came under ISIS occupation in 2013 under the control of Damascus government forces. The crossing, which later came under the control of the People's Defence Units (YPG), was captured by Turkey-backed mercenary groups after the October 2019 invasion attack. It is called Ceylanpınar Border Crossing by Turkey.

Bab Al-Salam Border Crossing: Located 5 km away from the Syrian city of Azaz, the crossing opens into Turkey. At the end of 2013, a bomb-laden vehicle exploded at the border crossing, which is under the control of mercenary groups affiliated with the Turkish state. It is called Öncüpınar Border Crossing by Turkey.

Bab Al-Hawa Border Crossing: It is located on the border of Turkey's Hatay city with the Dana-Atarib towns of Syria, where the M4 and M5 international roads intersect. The border crossing, notorious for weapons, oil and gas traffic, came under the control of the Jaysh al-Shur group at the beginning of the Syrian uprising. The border crossing, covered with al-Qaeda flags, was the scene of an explosion in September 2012. Another explosion hit the Cilvegözü customs point on the Turkish side on February 11, 2013. The border crossing, which is under the control of Turkey and its mercenary groups, is used for smuggling goods, historical artifacts and shipments of Turkey-backed mercenary groups from the occupied regions. It is called Reyhanlı Border Crossing by Turkey.

Kasb Border Crossing: The border crossing, located in the town of Kasab in Syria's Latakia city, opens to the city of Hatay. The crossing was built in 1986 and opened in 1988. The crossing came under the control of Jabhat al-Nusra in March 2014, and under the control of Damascus government forces later on. It is called Yayladağı Border Crossing by Turkey.

Qamishlo Border Crossing: The crossing on the border between Turkey and Syria was one of the most important commercial crossings between the two countries for a long time. It was closed by the Turkish government after the Syrian civil war. It is called Nusaybin Border Crossing by Turkey.

Dirbesiyê Border Crossing: The crossing on the border between Turkey and Syria served as a commercial crossing between the two countries for a long time. It was closed by the Turkish government after the Syrian civil war. It is not an international crossing but is rather used for passengers. It is called Şenyurt Border Crossing by Turkey.

Jarablus Border Crossing: The border crossing, which is 125 km away from Aleppo, is used for the passage of Jarablus residents to Syria. It is called Karkamış Border Crossing by Turkey.

Ramtha Border Crossing: The crossing between Syria and Jordan is the oldest crossing of Jordan. The crossing, which is 6 km away from Syria's Daraa province, is under the control of Damascus government forces.

Nasib Border Crossing: The crossing was built in 1991 and went into service in 1997. Located in Syria's Daraa province, it opens to Jordan and is used for commercial transport between Jordan and Syria. It is also used as an export crossing route for Gulf countries. The crossing, which came under the control of Jaysh al-Shur and Jabhat Al Nusra in April 2015, was taken by Damascus government forces on July 6, 2018, and still remains under their control.

Quneitra Border Crossing: It was opened on May 31, 1974 by the United Nations (UN) Observatory in accordance with an agreement between Syria and Israel. The crossing, located near the town of Quneitra in southwest Syria, is in the ceasefire zone between Syria and Israel. It is used as a commercial crossing route under the supervision of the Red Cross.

Masnaa Border Crossing: It is an international border crossing between Syria and Lebanon. The crossing route connects the capitals of these countries.

Dabousieh: The second important crossing after Masnaa. It is a 45 km long crossing opened in 2007, connecting the villages of Al-Abbudiyya in Lebanon and Dabousieh in Syria.

Jusiyah Border Crossing: The border crossing, which is 40 km away from Homs, is known as Al-Kaa in Lebanon. The crossing was closed in 2012 and was reopened in 2017.

Talkalakh Border Crossing: It is a border crossing opened in 2009. It is called Al-Bukaya in Lebanon.

Tartus Border Crossing: The border crossing between Arida and Tartus in Lebanon was opened in 1998. It is used for the passage of commercial passengers.

Al-Tanf Border Crossing: The crossing, located in the Abu Kamal region of Syria's Homs province, opens to the al-Walid region of Iraq.

Al-Qa’im Border Crossing: The border crossing between Syria and Iraq is used for passenger and commercial transport. The crossing came under ISIS occupation in 2014 and remained closed until 2017, when the Iraqi government regained its control. The crossing, which was reopened on September 18, 2019, is opened intermittently.

There are many unofficial crossings opened for the shipments of mercenary groups in the regions of Idlib, Azaz, al-Bab, Jarablus, Afrin, Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) and Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ain), which are occupied by the Turkish state. There are also train routes for passengers and commercial transits between Syria-Turkey, Syria-Lebanon, Syria-Iraq and Syria-Jordan. These roads have been closed for more than 10 years due to the civil war.

CLOSURE OF BORDER CROSSINGS HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE REGION

The closure of the border crossings in Syria and North-East Syria has a negative impact on the region. The case of the Til Kocher Border Crossing alone shows the extent of this effect.

Since 2014, in accordance with international resolutions, humanitarian aid has been delivered to Syria through four border crossings. Two of these crossings opened to Syria from Turkey, one from Jordan and the third from Iraq (Til Kocher). According to the resolution, which was renewed after a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in 2020 and the veto of Russia and China, the decision to allow humanitarian aid materials only through the two border crossings from Turkey to Syria was extended for 6 months, and the border crossings of Til Kocher and Jordan were closed. The same decision was extended a second time in June 2020, allowing humanitarian aid delivery to Syria through the Bab al-Salam and Bab al-Hawa border crossings. Since these crossings are controlled by the Turkish state and its mercenaries, humanitarian aid could not be delivered to the Autonomous Administration region. The main reason for closing the Til Kocher Border Crossing, the second largest crossing between Iraq and Syria, is to keep the Autonomous Administration in a dire situation.

1 MILLION REFUGEES IN CAMPS ARE ALSO AFFECTED

There are 17 refugee camps in North-East Syria, 6 in the Cizîre Region, 5 in the Afrin Region and 6 in the Euphrates Region, including the camps where families of ISIS members are held.

Cizrîrê Region: 58,762 people are housed in the Hol and Roj camps, and 48,331 people in the Serêkaniyê, Erîşa, Washokanî and Newroz camps.

Afrin Region: The Berxwedan, Shehba, Afrin, Veger and Serdem camps house 7, 243 people. In addition, more than 3,000 people moved from Aleppo to the camps in Shehba after the recent earthquake.

Euphrates Region: 33, 820 people are housed in the Til Semin, Mehmudli, Tewahîna, Manbij (new), Manbij (old) and Ebu Xeşeb camps.

More than one million migrants and refugees reside in the North-East Syrian regions, far from their native lands. Although there are about 100 international aid organizations operating in the region, migrants and refugees are only provided with limited and temporary aid.

THE NEVER-ENDING EMBARGO

The Turkish state, which has been carrying out attacks against North-East Syria since 2012, whether covertly or openly, has not ceased its aerial and ground attacks against the region despite the earthquake on the 6th of February, since when 400 reconnaissance flights, 21 air strikes, 3 howitzer attacks, 7 mortar attacks, 25 DShK attacks, 3 BKC attacks and one B-7 machine gun attack have been carried out in North-East Syria. An SDF fighter was martyred in a Turkish drone attack in Kobanê. On February 13. In another attack, a vehicle was targeted by a drone attack on the Qamishlo-Tirbespiyê road on February 22.