Since the night of December the 23rd, the Turkish State is carrying a new wave of attacks against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. It commits once again numerous war crimes by attacking and killing civilians, destroying infrastructure and health institutions. They are directly destroying the live-basis and the existence of the people.
In the night of the 23rd and 24th, oil station and oil field near Tirbespî, have been bombed. Important damages are caused on the infrastructures were heavily damaged, inducing, severe air pollution due to fire on crude oil, eventually, leading to contaminate soil and water on large areas.
An electricity production site has been bombed in Bana Şikeftê, Koçerata region near the town of Dêrik. As a result of the blackout, gas pumps of another nearby electricity power plant, Siwediyê went nonoperational. As its electricity production, providing energy for surrounding areas, has been reduced by half, and due to the blackout of Bana Şikeftê, Ewda petrol station in Tirbespî went nonoperational. There are electricity shortages in the areas of Dêrik, Tirbespî and Çilaxa. Another indirect effect is an increased difficulty in access to water where electrical water pumps are used.
In the morning of the 25th ten airstrikes hit the city of Qamişlo, targeting centers for agriculture, press printing, construction and a sewing factory. In these attacks, at least eight people lost their lives and nine others were wounded. On the 25th, an olive oil factory and a lentils factory have been bombed in Amûdê. Kobanê is facing airstrikes too, on medical and economical centers. On the 26th December there was a strike on a wheat warehouse in Girke Legê, The attacks are ongoing and reports are non-exhaustive.
The different waves of airstrikes, which the last occurred in October, are only a shift in the intensity of the warfare. North and East of Syria are facing war every day through embargo, ecocide (especially on the lands of Afrîn), water privation (river being dried up due to upstream dams and water usage in the Turkish state), and the attacks of the mercenaries it backs up.
This destruction on economy and vital infrastructures for services aims at stopping the Revolution and the realization of its social and ecological aspirations. The Autonomous Administration is implementing social and economical policies that strives toward sustainability. But these efforts are being hindered by the war, as most efforts are drained in repair and maintenance of the most essential infrastructures constantly damaged by the war. Also, the embargo blocks essential material for maintaining and developing further the infrastructures that would set up a more decentralized and ecological system. Along with these limitations, many basic needs are depending on oil usage, as the region was developed for oil extraction in pre-revolutionary times. For example, oil-backed technologies are the only way of producing electricity or heating for most of the population. Due to the embargo, oil extractions infrastructures will have to be used in a damaged stage with increased detrimental impact on people’s health and environment.
Destruction of the infrastructure and economical facilities will affect the social-ecological situation in the short and in the long term. The destruction of electricity power plants will have severe effects on the water supply, since all the water being used in the region is being pumped from the ground. This affects the agriculture and reforestation programs in a harsh way and therefore not only the self-sustainability of the region but also the struggle against desertification. Economical self-sustainibilty would allow the development of an economy outside of the exploitation and destruction of nature. To create such an economy, based on cooperatives and collective production, peace and a functioning infrastructure are basic conditions.
The Autonomous Administration creates a model of ecological economy and therefore is one of the most important actors against the ecological destruction in the region. In order to stop the war and to overcome the obstacles of the Revolution’s ecological development, we call for international solidarity and raise of awareness on the situation.