(Zaman Al Wasl)- Thousands of Iraqi refugees continue to cross the border to reach Deir Ez Zor and Hasaka provinces. Several civilians, among them children, were killed by landmines exploding during their attempts to flee from Islamic State controlled areas towards the border with Turkey.
Speaking to Zaman al-Wasl, Ahmad al-Ramadan from the Euphrates Post campaign said that around 50,000 Iraqi civilians took refuge in areas in the eastern and western countryside Deir Ez Zor amid difficult humanitarian situations and an increase in rents.
He added that many of the residents of Deir Ez Zor are trying to leave the Islamic State controlled areas to head to the Turkish border.
The Euphrates Post documented the names of three children and one lady from one family from the town of al-Bu Omar and other civilians from the village of al-Shaafiyet in Deir Ez Zor countryside who were killed by landmines as they tried to reach the Tel al-Abyad area in northern al-Raqqah countryside.
The Administration of al-Hawl camp in eastern al-Hasakah announced that the camp welcomed 623 Iraqi families, formed of 2779 refugees, and 285 Syrian families, formed of 873 displaced persons, during February 2017.
The administration confirmed via Democratic Union Party media outlets that the total number of al-Hawl camp residents rose to reach 17,000 persons. The number increased after the arrival of a new group formed by 32 Iraqi families, formed of 145 persons, and ten Syrian families, formed of 23 persons, to the camp via Rajm Salibi at the Iraqi border.
Refugees and internally displaced persons face the danger of dying from landmines while crossing the fronts between the Islamic State forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces militias. The fronts extend from the Iraqi border south east of al-Hasakah to the area of Manbij east of Aleppo. Many of the Iraqi refugees and the Syrian internally displaced persons choice to cross with the help of smugglers to the Democratic Union Party controlled areas as a preliminary move to crossing the border with Turkey. They prefer to move on from the Democratic Union controlled areas for fear the party will intern them in camps it has set up in its areas.
Speaking to Zaman al-Wasl, activist Ahmad al-Ali said that the first stage of crossing is arriving at the town of Markada, the last Islamic State stronghold in al-Hasakah. There those wishing to flee come to an agreement with smugglers who transport them on motorbikes on the road between the villages of al-Zaianet and Kashash Jabour for the fee of 150,000 Syrian pounds. Al-Ali confirmed that some of the smugglers deal with members of the Syria Democratic Forces.
At a later stage in their journey, those crossing head to the eastern part of Abdul Aziz Mountain using roads suitable only for motorbikes. They head towards al-Khobar Dam then the areas of al-Darbasiyah, Tel Tamer, and Ras al-Ayn by following the Hasakah-Shadidiya road or an earthen road parallel to the train tracks. He indicated that smugglers who demand 150,000 Syrian pounds for the process insist on taking the asphalted road to avoid landmines. Those smugglers transport their clients through the villages of Ayn al-Thikir, ‘Azaykah, Makhzoum, Ayn al-Hara, al-Mastour, al-Hafayir, and Oum al-Shouk.
Al-Ali said that the route is filled with landmines and residues from fighting between the Islamic State and the Syrian Democratic Forces. One such landmine detonated killing a family from Deir Ez Zor close to the village of al-Hafir.
With the continued fighting for Syrian al-Raqqah and Iraqi Mosul, the number of Syrians and Iraqis who want to leave to Turkey has increased. Those fleeing fear the proximity of the battles or suffer due to the worsening economic, social and security situation they are experiencing in areas under Islamic State control.
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