A call for help: Northern Syria cannot take up any more refugees

Alarmed by a call for help from the overcrowded refugee camp Al-Hol in northeastern Syria, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) calls on the German Federal Government to finally help the people in the Kurdish-dominated region. "In view of the great misery of those who were forced to leave their homes due to the clashes between the Kurdish-led troops and IS fighters in their stronghold Al-Baghuz, Germany must finally act. The Federal Government must no longer put up with the anti-Kurdish policy of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan," demanded Kamal Sido, the STP's Middle East Consultant, in Göttingen on Thursday. A total number of 10,000 people arrived at the refugee camp Al-Hol during the past five days. There is no more space for any more refugees. The autonomous self-government in northern Syria and local aid agencies are doing what they can to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe – but they are in desperate need of support.

According to estimates, there are now about 51,000 people living in Al-Hol. Most of the refugees are women and children. Many are in desperate need of medical assistance. According to contact persons of the STP in the region, the people are in immediate need of tents and medicines – and it will be necessary to build a women's hospital and to provide the region with fire-fighting equipment.

"There is a great danger that IS fighters will try to infiltrate the refugees and inhabitants of the area. The Kurdish authorities will have to be especially alert, so they need to help alleviate the suffering of the needy civilians," said Sido. "The Islamists extremists are still very active in the region, and it has been shown time and time again that they will stop at nothing." It is especially the Yazidis, Christians, and secular Muslims in the region who have suffered under the rule of IS.

Al-Baghuz is located in the province of Deir ez-Zor in northeastern Syria. Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG) are trying to storm the last IS stronghold. In the past few days, SDF and YPG were able to free at least 22 Yazidi children and women. "According to our sources, they were cut off from the outside world for several years. They must have suffered immensely," Sido emphasized. "Some of the children don't speak Kurdish any more. Now, it is a priority to try and find further survivors." The organization Yazidi House in northern Syria takes care of the liberated Yazidis. According to unconfirmed reports, IS fighters had beheaded 50 Yazidis in Al-Baghuz shortly before they could be liberated by Kurdish fighters.

Header image: STP-archive