Syrian Kurds In Need Of Vaccines, Aid To Fight COVID-19 - Representative

Syrian Kurds would welcome international assistance to cope with the coronavirus pandemic because they currently lack vaccines in the northeast region and are in need of ventilators and other medication, Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Representative in the United States and member of the Presidential Committee, Bassam Saker, told Sputnik

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2021) Syrian Kurds would welcome international assistance to cope with the coronavirus pandemic because they currently lack vaccines in the northeast region and are in need of ventilators and other medication, Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Representative in the United States and member of the Presidential Committee, Bassam Saker, told Sputnik.

"We implemented some procedures that the administration set there, like curfews, face masks and social distancing - the normal procedures to protect from COVID-19. After that, it seems that the cases decreased," Saker said. "But we have not received any aid until now."

Saker said the situation is getting better only thanks to the measures undertaken by the people in the region.

"We need the whole set of medications for fighting COVID-19," he said. "We don't have ventilators, other equipment. The aid is needed to protect against COVID-19."

When asked whether the Syrian Kurdish authorities have enough test kits, Saker said, "No, we don't have enough tests," adding that the lack of tests impacts knowing the real number of cases.

In addition, Saker said there are no coronavirus vaccines by any of the approved producers in the region.

"We don't have any vaccines. And nobody has had any vaccine in the region yet," he said.

Saker also said while the authorities are not discussing at present possible delivery of vaccines from other countries, they welcome any help regardless where it may come from.

"We will be very thankful to any country if they will help us in that," he said.

"And we are ready to receive it from any country."

Saker said it is absolutely necessary for the region to get vaccines in order to defeat the COVID-19 disease.

"It will be helpful for our region if we will start to vaccine the people. I think we would protect all the people, I believe that," he added.

Saker argued, however, that the situation is exacerbated by Turkey cutting off water and electricity to the people in the northeast.

"If you see what's going on, there is an economic situation and environmental situation. I can say and describe it as ethnic cleansing," Saker said. "When there is no water, there is no electricity, they are cutting electricity, they are cutting the water, which is very necessary for surviving."

Saker said the Syrian Kurds are talking to "everybody" about the situation, including the Russians and Americans.

"I'm, through you, I'm asking that the international community take care of that, to push Turkey to release the water because, you know, without water, there is no life," he said.

"I believe it is also responsibility of the Syrian government. Why do they keep silent? Why they don't talk about that?" he added.

Kurdish officials in northeastern Syria have repeatedly accused Turkey of reducing water levels in the Euphrates and causing an agricultural crisis and power shortage. Ankara has denied the allegations that it has deliberately reduced the water levels, saying that they are unsubstantiated, and argued that it considered the issue only from the humanitarian perspective, not the political one.