After IS major attack on prison: Aid organization Care stops work in north

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Al-Hassaka: Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fighters stand with guns in hand behind a wall near Gweiran prison (archive image)

Photo: Hogir Al Abdo / dpa

The population in north-east Syria is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis.

Millions of people are suffering from an immense economic crisis, the ongoing corona pandemic and the current low temperatures and snowstorms.

An important offer of help in the region is now temporarily lost.

Due to the tense security situation in north-eastern Syria, the aid organization Care is temporarily halting its humanitarian work.

146 employees in the region of the civil war are affected, as a spokesman for the dpa news agency said.

In the city of Al-Hassaka alone, 50 employees will stop working.

A week ago, the terrorist militia "Islamic State" (IS) attacked a prison in north-eastern Syria.

More than 180 people were killed in the clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by Kurdish militias.

It was the worst attack by the terrorist militia in years.

Tens of thousands of people fled the fighting in the city of Al-Hassakah.

It is unclear exactly how many detainees escaped.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that around 200 detainees are still at large.

According to Kurdish media, around 5,000 IS supporters were most recently in the prison there.

The fight was also complicated by hundreds of children in prison who were threatened by the fighting.

The safety of its own employees cannot currently be guaranteed, said Care.

“We are deeply concerned about what the current security situation will mean for our humanitarian work going forward.

Therefore, we urge all parties to stop the violence so that we can continue to provide vital assistance," Care Country Director Jolien Veldwijk said in a statement.

According to the Swiss-based aid organization, it has been active in north-eastern Syria since 2014.

Care distributes food, provides clean drinking water and creates emergency shelters.

asc/dpa