SDF fighters surrounded by civilians in Manbij after liberating the city from ISIS. File photo: ARA News

Published by ARA News on 28th of April 2017

On Thursday, the Raqqa Civilian Council called on the international community to provide more aid to the people of Raqqa.

“As the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to achieve overwhelming victories in Raqqa in their war on Daesh [ISIS] terrorism on behalf of the whole world, a massive refugees’ movements have been witnessed in the few past days,” the council said in a statement.

“The IDPs’ [Internally Displaced Persons] number reaching 100 thousand in the northern countryside of Raqqa, this huge number has put a considerable pressure on the region; as no foodstuff, no water to drink and no proper accommodation is available for the displaced civilians,” it said.

The Raqqa Council accused international organizations of not doing enough to help the IDPs from Raqqa.

“The deaths resulting from malnutrition, diseases and lack of help have become 23 cases, this is a clear indication that all the international organizations are watching from distance, and failing to undertake their humanitarian duty towards the refugees,” the Raqqa Civilian Council said.

”We in the Raqqa’s Civil Council have distributed some aids on the IDPs according to our humble capacities, so we appeal to all international organizations to be responsible towards these IDPs, and undertake their humanitarian duty, also we appeal to all states to give urgent aids to the displaced people from Raqqa city,” the Raqqa council concluded.

On Thursday, the Raqqa Civilian Council started to provided bread to IDPs displaced from the ISIS-held de facto capital of Raqqa.

Egid Ibrahim, a representative of the Kurdish humanitarian organization the Kurdish Red Crescent, warned in an interview with ARA News that this could result in a disaster and that the local self-administrations of Rojava are already hosting thousands of IDPs and refugees from Mosul, Deir ez-Zor, al-Bab, Shahba areas, Sinjar, Raqqa and Aleppo in several camps.

“We have some organizations but they are not supporting like we want it to be. The UNCHR and UNICEF are supporting some IDPs from Manbij and Raqqa, and some other organizations, which I cannot mention their names. But their capacity is limited, maybe 10 per cent. The Rojava Self-Administration in these areas is trying to support all these IDPs and refugees,” he said.

“It is difficult to receive all these IDPs, especially since there is a siege on Rojava, all the borders are closed, and we have this problem now,” he told ARA News.

“The SDF-led operation is closing in on Raqqa city, so we expect to have more IDPs, and after the liberation we also need support because Raqqa is a big city and has been for 3 to 4 years under Daesh [ISIS]. It needs a lot of aid and help to recover,” Ibrahim stated.

Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg | Source: ARA News

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