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Thirst Strangles People in Syria

Published August 27th, 2020 - 05:39 GMT

In the city's narrow streets, women and children clutched empty jerrycans, waiting to fill them up from water deliveries, some from aid groups.

As coronavirus spreads across northeastern Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in spats between Turkish forces to the north and Syria's Kurds.

United Nations warned one of the earlier water supply interruptions was putting people at risk in the Hasakeh area, as the pandemic spread worldwide.

Aid organizations have warned against using water as a political or military tool to the detriment of civilians. But  Kurdish officials say Turkey is now using the water station to pressure the local authorities into giving them more electricity in areas Ankara seized from them.

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A Syrian boy drinks from the faucet of a water cistern provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that

A Syrian boy drinks from the faucet of a water cistern provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A Syrian boy plays with a stream of water, after humanitarian organisations delivered water to the area during a water outage, in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power s

A Syrian boy plays with a stream of water, after humanitarian organisations delivered water to the area during a water outage, in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A Syrian girl carries a pot of water filled up from cisterns provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power statio

A Syrian girl carries a pot of water filled up from cisterns provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

Residents carry plastic buckets to fill up water from cisterns, provided by humanitarian organisations, during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power st

Residents carry plastic buckets to fill up water from cisterns, provided by humanitarian organisations, during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

A Syrian boy drinks from the faucet of a water cistern provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that
A Syrian boy plays with a stream of water, after humanitarian organisations delivered water to the area during a water outage, in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power s
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A Syrian girl carries a pot of water filled up from cisterns provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power statio
Residents carry plastic buckets to fill up water from cisterns, provided by humanitarian organisations, during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power st
A Syrian boy drinks from the faucet of a water cistern provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that
A Syrian boy drinks from the faucet of a water cistern provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A Syrian boy plays with a stream of water, after humanitarian organisations delivered water to the area during a water outage, in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power s
A Syrian boy plays with a stream of water, after humanitarian organisations delivered water to the area during a water outage, in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A displaced Syrian brings water back to their camp in a camp for the displaced in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 24, 2020. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
A Syrian girl carries a pot of water filled up from cisterns provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power statio
A Syrian girl carries a pot of water filled up from cisterns provided by humanitarian organisations during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP
Residents carry plastic buckets to fill up water from cisterns, provided by humanitarian organisations, during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power st
Residents carry plastic buckets to fill up water from cisterns, provided by humanitarian organisations, during a water outage in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakah on August 22, 2020. As coronavirus spreads across northeast Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in the latest spat between Turkish forces to the north and Syrian Kurds it views as "terrorists". In October last year, Turkish forces occupied a 120-stretch (70-mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasakeh. Kurdish officials and analysts say now Turkey is using the water station to pressure the Kurdish authorities into giving them more electricity in the region they took from them. Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP

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