Since 27 January 2021, the Turkish state has been reducing the Euphrates River’s water flowing over Syria. In accordance with the agreement signed by Turkey, Syria and Iraq, the Turkish state must release 500 cubic meters of water per second. However, this rate was decreased to 200 cubic meters per second.

The photographs of the areas affected by the shortage of water around Rojava Dam (Tishrin) in December 2019 and October 2021 show the alarming dimensions of the drought hitting the Euphrates, the biggest river in Syria. Besides, the satellite image of the Euphrates River, which was taken by the European Space Agency in August, showed the great rates of reduction in the river.

The amount of the Euphrates water flowing to Syria has not changed since January, told ANHA Mistefa Ebdurrehman, a member of the Rojava Dam Directorate.

Under the conditions of an economic embargo imposed on North and East Syria, reduction of Euphrates water adversely affects production and daily life in the region.

According to committees and agricultural institutions in various regions, the Euphrates River is used to supply water to irrigate approximately 900 thousand hectares of agricultural fields, including many vineyards, orchards and wheat fields. However, 400 thousand hectares of field has been deprived of water since the summer of 2020. Residents of hundreds of villages on the Euphrates River have been going through difficult days due to the lack of agricultural activity, the only source of income in the region.

In a period of serious drought endangering the lives of millions of civilians, following the months without rain in Syria, the Turkish state’s reduction of the Euphrates water leaves Syrian citizens deprived of drinking water, food and power.

The Turkish state, through its intelligence agency MIT, is using water as a weapon in order to force the people to migrate and depopulate the region, according to many observers. The Turkish state also targets North-East Syria with heavy weapons and reconnaissance planes.

In accordance with the agreement signed by Turkey, Syria and Iraq, on an annual basis, 6,627 thousand cubic meters of Euphrates water should flow to Syria, 9,106 thousand to Iraq and 15,700 thousand to Turkey. However, the Turkish state violates the agreement.