According to aid organizations working in the area, Turkish authorities have repeatedly interrupted water pumping at the Allouk water station, located near the town of Sari Kani. The station serves approximately 460,000 people in Hasaka governorate, including those living in three displacement camps, and was captured by the Turkish military in October during Ankara’s offensive against Kurdish groups in the region in northeast Syria.

“In the midst of a global pandemic that is overloading sophisticated governance and infrastructure systems, Turkish authorities have been cutting off the water supply to regions most under strain in Syria,” said HRW’s Deputy Middle East director Michael Page in an alert released on Tuesday, March 31.

“The Turkish authorities should do everything they can to immediately resume supply to these communities.”

Clean water is critical not only for drinking and cooking, but also for sanitation. Without regular and thorough hand washing and proper hygiene people are at much greater risk of coronavirus infection.

According to the rights watchdog, local authorities and aid groups are already fighting an uphill battle due to their limited ability to bring in supplies following the closure of the border with the Kurdistan Region several weeks ago and the al-Yarubiyeh crossing in January.

Turkey has said that the disruptions are due to insufficient electrical supplies, an explanation that local groups in northeastern Syria reject. As a result, local authorities have resorted to trucking water, which is inefficient and costly.

“Not only is the Turkish authorities’ water shut-off to communities in Northeast Syria harmful to civilians, but it could also blowback on Turkey itself,” Page said.

“Rights-respecting public health measures are needed to address the coronavirus; borders alone won’t stop a pandemic’s spread.”

Reporter’s code: 50101