Kurdish families displaced by fierce clashes in Shahba (Şehba), northern Syria, have fled to other areas under the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Refugees recount military attacks, injuries, and severe cold as aid struggles to meet their needs.
Ibrahim Shekso, a Kurdish resident who fled Shahba and is now in Tabqa, described the dire situation in a statement to Medya News on Tuesday evening. “The people are in a really difficult situation, their needs have not yet been met,” he said. “There are preparations, but so far not much has been done. Some are even talking about schools, but there are none yet. Everything is difficult in this situation.”
Shekso highlighted the agreement made to assist evacuations: “An agreement has been reached between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leadership for three days to allow all the people to evacuate the area and move to the areas under the control of the autonomous administration. This agreement is a result of the last hours.”
He also described the attacks that led to the mass displacement: “The people were targeted by military attacks, and some were wounded. The clashes were really intense in the whole area of Shahba. Towards Aleppo (Heleb) and eastern Aleppo fell into the hands of the HTS and the Syrian opposition forces. That is why the people were forced to flee.”
The co-chair of Afrin (Efrîn) and Shahba councils added that the influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has left many sleeping outside in freezing temperatures for days. “AANES hospitals are offering free care, but there is still an urgent need for medical support,” they said.
With tens of thousands displaced, the need for urgent humanitarian aid grows, particularly as resources remain limited and harsh weather conditions worsen.
