Reference :
V-P-SY-E-00692
Date :
30/11/2016
Caption :
Southeast of the city of Aleppo, Jibreen. The ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent visit the collective shelters to assess and monitor humanitarian needs. Giorgios Comninos (right), head of the ICRC subdelegation in Aleppo, converses with displaced persons.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
The estimated number of people who are displaced and sheltering there is between 16,000 and 18,000 (8,000 in Jibreen industrial zone shelter, and between 8,000 and 10,000 in Al-Mahalej, though their numbers are changing fast as people arrive or move on.) The Al-Mahalej shelter is a new shelter set up to respond to the rising number of people displaced and fast rising needs. The majority of people there are families, including many women, children and the elderly.
Dozens of families arrived onsite while ICRC was there. Families described having fled their homes, carrying what they could with them, by foot. Many of them left everything behind as they fled. The main concerns now are to ensure adequate conditions of shelter, including appropriate water and sanitation facilities, proper shelter to protect against the cold weather, and ensuring people have access to healthcare. Many people are also looking to reach friends or relatives in other parts of the city, with whom they can find alternative shelter.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent team comprised of a mobile medical team, a first aid squad, a psychosocial team, a water and sanitation team, a shelter team and a "field intervention" team. With the ICRC, big water tanks were installed, and water points set up. Many medical cases were referred to the hospital for advanced treatment.
The number of displaced is naturally changing fast, as many families may chose to leave to the centre of Aleppo city, while others continue to arrive.
News release on ICRC website, 01.12.2016: " Aleppo: As fighting rages, everything must be done to protect civilians. [...]
The SARC dispatched mobile medical teams to treat the sick, injured and malnourished. The teams work 12 hours per day and, since 27 November, have treated over 2,500 people. As the shelters lack basic amenities, the ICRC and SARC installed emergency water tanks and sanitation facilities, and provided food, blankets and mattresses. As the situation evolves, the organisations are scaling up their response to deal with new arrivals.
"We saw buses arriving with people, more and more people. Hundreds were arriving every hour while we were there. Conditions are very difficult. People are in shock. They're tired and cold, many of them are still covered in dust and need medical help. It's heart-breaking," said Marianne Gasser said.
"It's all very basic. First of all, we need to ensure dignified conditions for these people. One of the shelters is a cotton factory, a huge hangar where some 15 thousand people will expect to be accommodated."
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
4752x3168
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
