(Zaman Al Wasl)- With the advance of the U.S. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militias backed by the International Coalition against ISIS in the area of al-Sour in the northern suburb of Deir Ez-zor and adjacent to the town of Markada south of Hasaka, the number of people fleeing the fighting increased amid extremely difficult humanitarian conditions.
Activist Mohammed al-Khader from Markada confirmed Markada population fled because of fear of bombing as a result of what happened in Raqqa and Deir Ez-zor when warplanes bombed random camps on the banks of the Euphrates River, adding that the transfer of fighting to the al-Sour town, led to closure of the only exit for the escape and migration of many of the people of Markada which US-backed militias are trying to besiege in the last battle by controlling al-Sour and heading towards the border with Iraq.
Al-Khader explained that the residents started a reverse movement from Markada towards al-Mayadin in the Deir Ez-zor countryside because the (SDF) fighters closed the roads leading to Hasakah center and Qana and al-Houl camps.
According to the activist, before the outbreak of clashes between (SDF) and ISIS in the Storm battle launched on 9 September. The battles were concentrated north of Markada on the fronts of al-Shadadi until the escalation of air raids of the International Coalition which targeted several locations before the offensive on ISIS in Markada countryside causing the killing of 4 women and a man in addition to 6 members from an Iraqi refugee family in the town.
This pushed the locals to seriously consider fleeing the area. Hundreds of people headed to the south of Markada and Badiye amid difficult humanitarian conditions and high temperatures and severe shortages of water and food items.
As the fighting approaches the areas of the displaced people, their suffering intensifies especially as they are waiting for the result of the battles and clashes that will be considered an important turning point in their lives, as well as fear of an unknown future. Most of them are wanted by the regime forces and the Kurdish (YPG). They are isolated from Hasakah center and have not been able to enter it for a long time.
-Living conditions before the battles-
Living conditions continued to deteriorate amid the long-term cut of relief off Markada and the absence of active relief organizations in the town, and the lack of food availability and high prices due to cut roads to and from Hasakah center and the high dollar exchange rate.
Before the outbreak of the latest Storm battle, residents complained about the lack of health care, especially for women's diseases under the ISID rule, lack of medical staff and a severe shortage of medicines, while schools were turned into shelters for displaced villagers rather than their mud houses.
This has compounded the suffering and harsh living conditions in the semi-desert area. The automated bakery in the town has stopped working months ago and bread from the bakery used to reach Markada through al-Sour area from Deir Ez-zor. This is in addition to power cuts and dependence on private household generators. Water was also transported by tanks from the al-Sabha area in Deir Ez-zor which was recently controlled by the regime.
This precarious situation in Merkeda made it vulnerable to ISIS to recruit youth in the small town in order to obtain the manpower it needs while increasing the number of fronts it has. The youth recruited in ISIS are entitled to the monthly salary which can help their families overcome the extreme poverty situation in the region.
In normal situation, food prices were as follows:
(Egyptian Rice) 665 SP - Milk 225 SP - Sugar 550 SP - Red Meat 2500 SP - Chicken 1100 SP - Bread Bundle 150 SP - Tomato 900 PL - Vegetarian Oil 800 SP.
The prices of the fuel are: (refined oil 120 SP - petrol refined 200 SP) while domestic gas is not available at all. The dollar exchange rate is approximately 520 SP.
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