Kurdish Red Crescent Heyva Sor a Kurd has released a detailed report about the humanitarian situation in Afrin Canton of Northern Syria as Turkish state’s invasion attacks left 11 days behind.

Afrin is a district as well as a city that is 40 kilometers to the North West of Aleppo, and has become part of self-autonomous rule since its establishment in 2012, which then became part of Democratic Federation of Northern Syria when it was declared in 2016.

The region’s population was nearly 500,000 before 2011, it is comprised of many towns and circa 380 villages, after 2011 and due to massive military operations between the regime and the opposition in nearby Idlib and Northern Aleppo suburbs, in addition to the fall of opposition-controlled areas in Aleppo city to the regime in December, 2016, the area was considered as a safe haven for IDPs from many areas all over Syria, the number of IDPs is roughly 250,000, in addition to many families from the region who used to live in Aleppo before 2011. Current unconfirmed number of the civilians is around 800,000 people including IDPs.

Despite many battles between the SDF that control the area, and some Islamist (including AQ’s Nusra front) and other armed groups, SDF maintained its control over the region since it took over in 2012.

Efrîn situation (29-Jan-2018):

- Turkey and its allies have started a military operation on 20th of January 2018 with an intensive bombardment by Turkish warplanes targeting almost 200 civil and military sites until 25th of January, according to civil activists and official spokesperson of SDF.

- Major attacks were targeting the Northern and Western areas of Afrin region from the border with Turkey starting from Turkey’s soil, and also the Eastern areas of Afrin causing massive displacement within the region Un estimated more than 5.000 people, while the remained people live in very bad situation in the basements and caves.

- Due to the displacement and bombardment, there have been much humanitarian and medical needs for the civilians in the area.

- There are grave concerns for the civilians (especially children and women) who are in remote areas and have lack of access to proper healthcare, shelter and food access.

Humanitarian Situation due to the recent military operation:

Turkish aggressive attacks were not only on Afrin, but also Turkish soldiers bombed Kobani and Jazira cantons.

Manbij: There was a provocative attempt by the pro-Turkey factions, and they used Dushka gun machine to shoot the seam lines.

Kobani: Turkish army launched 3 attacks by heavy weapons on Zurmegar village east of Kobani.

Jazira Canton: In Jazira canton Turkey used tanks, guns and mortars to shell the residential areas. Nine shells were documented resulting 3 civilian martyr and one wounded.

Efrin: The Turkish attack as we can observe is targeting the civilians and we confirmed until now 63 death between people, and more than 150 injuries, until now we confirmed the death of 20 children 12 women.

There are people under the ruins of the buildings those were targeted by the Turkish air strike, and KRC could evacuate some of them, but still there are bodies those couldn’t be reached yet.

Since the military operation started on Afrin region, civilians and population in targeted areas in Afrin tends to protect themselves by moving to more secure shelters including nearby caves in Afrin Mountains as there is no proper public secure shelters in these areas. So far, more than 25,000 civilians (including IDPs and Host community households) from the suburbs are fleeing their homes as the bombardment is escalating and turkish air force is intensifying the air strikes causing massive damage on public service sites (such as Maydanki dam, which if collapses it’d overspill to surrounding areas and cause flood that will make the situation far worse) and civilian property and majority of the documented attacks were on civilians.

As the military operation continues in the region, massive levelized influx of displacement is expected especially from border areas in Afrin countryside to the center or the city and other more safe villages, we have seen limited number of residents leaving the area to Aleppo city, so far the majority of displacement is within the region itself (this applies to areas such as; Jinderes, Hamam, Rajo, and Sharran) which caused some of the more safe areas and villages that some houses now hosts more than 5-8 families causing much humanitarian needs. As well as a sizable number of injured people with critical conditions who will be in a dire need of medical care and basic needs, this will also lead to many orphan children with no parents to look after them.

People are fleeing their homes and villages to neighboring villages basically, so many level of displacement will take place by population before reaching to safe and secure places. During movement; harm is expected toward them by Turkish-backed military groups as well as Turkish forces occupying the areas. Screening sites expected to have strong presence and revenge actions or field punishments executions might occur during this stage.

Urgent humanitarian needs:

1. Supporting the Hosptial with medicine and Devices since there is a lot of pressure due to

the high number patient.

2. Ambulances and repairing materials.

3. Children milk, Diapers, Multi-Purpose NFI and Hygiene Kits).

4. Blankets, mattresses and floor mats as its essential basic shelter Items and winter

clothes since people leave their houses on short notice and most of the time they dont

have time to carry anything with them.

5. Drinking water, since turkey air strike targeted many times the pumps in the sources of the water) Food Baskets.

6. Blood Bags - Lack of blood supply, first aid kits, surgery related items.

Health, front line Referral, Hospitalization:

There are people under the ruins of the buildings those were targeted by the Turkish air strike, and KRC (Kurdish Red Crescent) could evacuate some of them, but still there are bodies those couldn’t be reached yet.

Heyva Sor a Kurd health workers together with Committee of health, Health councils in all towns and villages Joined the health respond, but with the spreading of the attack areas; more support was needed to cover the needs in (referral pathway –surgical capacity – trauma Stabilizing...), the health Teams and ambulances are getting targeted and need do cover the ambulances in front line, one KRC ambulance was targeted so far.

The areas those were covered until now by the Ambulance support was (Bilbile- Shiye- Rajo –Jinderes – TilJemal- Fafin- Kolko- Khelil). On 21th of January Heyva Sor a Kurd team and ambulance in Jinderes area was targeted during their work. All referral are to Efrin City for secondary surgeries.

Until 30-1-2018

65 civilian death (between them 12 women and 20 children)

163 civilian were injured (between them 26 women and 36 children)