New water crisis in Hesekê as Turkish-backed forces disrupt water supply from Alouk station
Hesekê is currently experiencing another water crisis due to the Turkish-backed forces near Serekaniye disrupting the water supply from Alouk station.
Alouk station provides clean drinking water to an estimated 460,000 civilians. Since the 20th of July, the station has been inoperative.
The Rojava Information Centre (RIC) said that this is reportedly the 27th time the water supply has been halted since Oct 2019. UNICEF has previously detailed the humanitarian consequences of these interruptions to the flow of water from Alouk.
Alouk station is located within territory controlled by Turkey. The Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria (AANES) negotiated access through a Russian-brokered deal in 2019. According to the deal, AANES will feed the occupied territories electricity from its power station in Darbasiyah, in exchange for water from Alouk.
However, Turkey has repeatedly violated the agreement, disrupting the water station. The Council of Hesekê region re-affirmed on Thursday its commitment to supplying Serekaniye with electricity in exchange for the Alouk water pumps being kept in operation.
Hesekê faces chronic water scarcity because of Turkey’s weaponization of its control over the water station.
