The province of Deir Ezzor is under the control of both the Syrian regime and ISIS. However, the advancement of ISIS into the province, and its growing strength there, has led the Syrian regime’s control to decline to nearly 2% of the city, while ISIS control has extended over the rest of the province. This report describes the living conditions of civilians in the province, in both ISIS and regime-controlled areas, as well as the health and educational status of the people there.
Humanitarian situation
- Population distribution
- The Syrian regime controls areas in the neighborhoods of the western part of the province such as al-Jura, al-Qosor and part of al-Bgheleyeh. In the east it controls Harabesh, part of al-Senaa district, and al-Jufrah. There are an estimated 150,000 civilians in these areas.
- In areas controlled by ISIS the estimated number of civilians living in the city is about 3,000 while the number in rural areas is more than 600,000.
- Health situation
- In Syrian regime controlled areas there are no more than two medical units: 1) al-Assad Hospital (Damascus Road), which is out of service, and 2) The Military Hospital, which is the only hospital that provides medical services in the city, though mostly for soldiers and national defense members. The medical sector faces difficulties such as: lack of primary health services, exposure to ISIS shelling, acute shortage of medical staff, medicines, medical supplies and equipment. Civilians are not accepted for treatment because soldiers and regime-linked militia members are prioritized. These factors have led to widespread diseases such as night blindness, kidney failure, malnutrition, liver infections, typhoid fever, scabies and lice.
In ISIS controlled zones in the city there are two medical centers: 1) al-Said Hospital, which is the only hospital, and it does not have sufficient capacity, 2) The Medical Center. In ISIS controlled rural areas there are clinics in eastern rural areas such Hatleh, al-Soor, al-Asharah, al-Shahel, al-Busaira, al-Salehye and al-Bolel. In the city of Mayadeen there are hospitals which are able to provide medical services to civilians: the Modern Medicine Hospital, which was bombed recently, as well as al-Noor and al-Salamah Hospital, in addition to private clinics and private hospitals. There is a small hospital in Al-Bukamal. Before the latest developments of the conflict that isolated the city of Raqqa, western rural areas rural areas of Deir Ezzor such as al-Kasra, al-Tabanee and Maadan depended on Raqqa city due to proximity and the availability of better services. Medical centers in ISIS controlled areas lack medical services except simple ones. In addition, they lack medical staff and essential medical supplies and medicines, especially for children, cardiac and kidney patients.
- Living conditions
- In regime-controlled zones civilians suffer under siege from ISIS, and there is a lack of basic food supplies, vegetables, fruits and cooking oil. The only foods available are spinach, chard, radishes, onions, flour and occasionally meat. Prices have increased by 500% and more.
- People lack clean water for drinking and daily usage.
- The main civilian source of income is remittances from family and friends living outside of Syria, which are very few. The average salary is 25,000 Syrian pounds, and at this level, it is not possible to afford more than one or two commodities due to the high prices.
- Traders and those associated with warlords exploit people.
- The Syrian regime distributes insufficient basic aid and it often goes to the men in the regime’s militias.
- There are no heating materials, as the city suffers from loss of fuel, gas and electricity. Civilians depend on wood and furniture for heating.
- ISIS zones do not suffer from a lack of materials, but rather from high prices and lack of salaries.
- Educational situation
In Syrian regime controlled zones almost all schools are closed for several reasons including:
- A large number of the teaching staff has left because of bad living conditions due to the siege;
- Many students are reluctant to go to school because they are unable to secure school supplies;
- The dire health situation, with many students suffering from malnutrition and general weakness as a result of hunger and the spread of diseases (e.g. hepatitis);
- The difficult security situation, due to shells that frequently fall on schools during school hours;
- The lack of basic essentials for the education system such as water, electricity and heating.
In ISIS controlled zones the education system is almost non-existent for the following reasons:
- ISIS closed all schools that existed before and replaced them with very few schools that offer elementary education according to new curriculums developed by the militant group.
- Schools are almost completely damaged by shelling and military hostilities. Many areas in the province are exposed to bombing on a daily basis, which hinders the education system.
- Many of the remaining schools have been converted to refugee shelters.
- There is a lack of teaching staff due to migration because of the war and harassment by ISIS.
This situation has produced a series of tragic facts, including:
- A complete collapse of the education system in ISIS territories.
- Ignorance and illiteracy have spread because children do not get a chance to go to school.
- Many children and young Syrians have joined ISIS because of the economic situation as well as enticement or intimidation mechanisms practiced by ISIS.
- Recommendations
Taking into consideration the dire conditions in the province, we recommend taking urgent steps in both the Syrian regime and ISIS controlled zones.
Health situation:
In Syrian regime controlled areas:
- Consider hospitals as neutral during all military operations.
- Exert pressure on the Syrian regime to establish new medical points that provide medical services for civilians in empty buildings and in the least risky ones, such as libraries and the military officers’ club.
- Increase pressure on the Syrian regime to allow the entrance of medicine and medical supplies, especially quality ones. It should be noted that the Syrian regime is able to bring in aid by air through Damascus and Qamishli Airports.
- Isolate the medical points that provide services to civilians from the military ones.
In ISIS controlled areas:
- Consider hospitals as neutral during all military operations.
- Secure the missing brand name drugs (for example, for medication for renal transplant, vaccines, etc).
- Employ all possible mechanisms and strategies to reduce the negative repercussions on civilians that result from the battle against ISIS.
Living conditions:
In Syrian regime controlled areas:
- Bring in necessary basic food items. It should be noted that the regime is capable of performing this step by flying in the items from the Damascus and Qamishli airports.
- Distribute food to civilians without charge, and in a fair and adequate way.
- Secure clean water on a daily basis by investing the water resources on the Euphrates River.
- Bringing in heating materials (fuels).
In ISIS controlled areas:
- Take all possible measures to ensure that counter-terrorism operations do not harm the daily lives of civilians.
Educational situation:
In Syrian regime controlled areas:
- Improving the educational situation is directly linked to improving the living conditions and health and safety conditions in these areas.
In ISIS controlled areas:
- Deterioration of the education system is the factor that poses the greatest danger for the future of the region. This situation requires the international community to live up to the ethical responsibility to save what can be saved by pushing for a political solution. This means, namely, a political transition in accordance with the existing international resolutions. Following that, attention must be paid to ameliorating all levels of the education system.
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