Deterioration of Living Conditions in Manbij Amid Escalating Violations and Decline of Basic Services
The city of Manbij and its countryside in northern Syria are witnessing a severe deterioration in living and economic conditions, amid what residents describe as daily violations and an almost complete absence of basic services following the takeover of the area by Turkey-backed factions.
Several residents said the city is suffering from an almost total power outage due to the theft of high-voltage cables, in addition to the suspension of water pumping as a result of the malfunctioning of pumping stations in the al-Habouba area after their generators and operational equipment were stolen.
A nurse who worked at the Euphrates Hospital in Manbij reported that the hospital had been subjected to looting, targeting medical equipment, ambulances, and electric generators, which led to the suspension of its medical services.
Meanwhile, teachers confirmed that several schools in the city and its countryside have gone out of service after being vandalized, while the teaching staff suffer from arbitrary transfer decisions and high transportation costs due to the fuel crisis.
In the agricultural sector, residents indicated that the shortage and high prices of fuel have caused a significant decline in production, especially in wheat and vegetable crops, which has increased unemployment and poverty rates in the area.
Local residents believe that all these conditions have created an unsafe environment, with rising crime rates amid the absence of monitoring and control institutions, making daily life in Manbij and its countryside “closer to hell,” as they described it.
