{"id":11272,"date":"2020-08-31T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/timeline-of-the-disruptions-series-of-aluk-water-pumping-station-north-east-syria\/"},"modified":"2021-07-16T05:12:23","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T02:12:23","slug":"timeline-of-the-disruptions-series-of-aluk-water-pumping-station-north-east-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/en\/timeline-of-the-disruptions-series-of-aluk-water-pumping-station-north-east-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Timeline of the Disruptions Series of Aluk Water Pumping Station, North East Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"
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  1. \n

    When and how the Aluk water station was first interrupted<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    On 9 October 2019, only few hours after the launch of Turkey\u2019 so called Operation Peace Spring,[1]<\/a> the Aluk water pumping station<\/a> (36.873075,40.185889) rendered inoperable due to artillery shelling; several shells rocked the station and others hit the the power lines supplying it, which resulted in a complete stop of water pumping to the city of al-Hasakah<\/a> and its suburbs. That was confirmed in a report<\/a> published in late January 2020, by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, which said that water repair workers attempted to conduct repairs, but were allegedly abducted by armed group fighters from Ahrar al-Sharqiyah (Brigade 123) though later released.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

    The Aluk water station, which has been repeatedly interrupted, serves  drinkable water to around 800.000 people besides being the main source to fill the tanker trucks that carry water to the makeshift camps of al-Hawl<\/a>, al-Areesha (or al-Sadd)<\/a> and Washo Kani (or al-Twaina)<\/a>, which host tens of thousands of IDPs from different Syrian regions.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

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    Image 1.<\/p>\n

    The Aluk station was established in 2010, for the purpose of collecting and pumping water, as a solution to the then water crisis in al-Hasakah and outskirts. In this context, 30 artesian wells were dug near the village of Aluk Sharqi<\/a>, located 10 km. to the east of Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea, with a pump capacity of approximately 175.000 m\u00b3 of drinking water per day. The station has a 25.000 m\u00b3 water reservoir and 12 large pumps transport water through 67 km. long pipes to al-Himme area<\/a> in northern rural al-Hasakah and from there to residential blocks.<\/p>\n

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    Images 1&2: maps of areas where the Aluk water station is the main source of water.<\/p>\n

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    1. \n

      The first attempt to resume the Aluk water pumping station<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The Autonomous Administration<\/a> and the Syrian Government, who share control over the city of al-Hasakah, attempted to re-launch the Aluk water station, with direct assistance from the Russian military command in northeastern Syria, which has held talks with Turkey and intervened more than once to urge Turkish forces to operate the station. However, in exchange for resuming the water pump from the Aluk station, Turkey requested maintaining the Mabrouka power station \u2013 located under Turkey and allies\u2019 control to the west of Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea \u2013 and supplying it with electricity from the Tishrin Dam<\/a>, which is jointly controlled by the Syrian government and Autonomous Administration; means supplying Ras al-Ayn and Tell Abiad with power in exchange for providing al-Hasakah and outskirts with water from the Aluk station.<\/p>\n

      The Mabrouka power station located on the M4 international highway,[4]<\/a> 14km. away from the town of Mabrouka. The station is supplied by Tishrin Dam and in turn provides power to the province of al-Hasakah and other areas in al-Jazira region<\/a>, northeast Syria. However, during the Turkish offensive in last October, the Mabrouka power station was rendered inoperable after its supplement was suspended by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of the Autonomous Administration and many of its equipment, including generators, were stolen by fighters of the Syrian opposition armed groups (the station was mainly controlled by Al Safwa Al Islamiya Battalions, also known as al-Safwa Division).[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

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      1. \n

        The first\/fundamental agreement: Aluk water for Tishrin power<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        After talks with Russia, Turkey allowed a group of workers with delegates from the Syrian State Electricity Corporation in al-Hasakah, and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, to enter the Aluk water station for the first time after Operation Peace Spring, on 9 November , 2019, in order to check it and to study how to rehabilitate it.<\/p>\n

        Under preliminary understandings, the Aluk water station was resumed on 13 November, 2019, (after 35 days of suspension and four days of maintenance), being supplied with power from Al Swaydiah power station in Ad Darbasiyah, not the Mabrouka station, which was still turned off.<\/p>\n

        The Russian-Turkish talks led to a final agreement, in early December 2019, stipulating the withdrawal of the Syrian opposition forces from the Mabrouka power station and handing it over to the Syrian government forces and the Autonomous Administration, provided that the latter would maintain it and supply the Operation Peace Spring areas with 7 MW of electricity from the Tishrin Dam, in return for Ankara’s permission to pump water from the Aluk station. This was the first basic agreement between the two countries.<\/p>\n

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        1. \n

          Russian official discontent as Ankara disavows the first agreement<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          On 24 February 2020, the Turkish forces turned off the Aluk water station and expelled workers from it without explaining the reasons. Ten days later, on 4 March 2020, the Russian military command held a press conference at the Russian base in the Qamishli\/Qamishlo<\/a> International Airport, through which it accused Turkey of impeding the relaunch of the Aluk station and of non-commitment to the agreement signed with it.[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

          General Anatoly, the commander of the Russian military forces in northeastern Syria, said that he discussed with Burhan Akta\u015f, head of the Turkish Coordination Center, by phone, the relaunch of the Aluk station. Later, on 26 February 2020 the two met physically in the Turkish city of Nusaybin to discuss this same subject.<\/p>\n

          Anatoly confirmed that the Turkish side did not adhere to the plans they put together, despite the assistance given by Russia to SDF and the Syrian government in maintaining the Mabrouka station and supplying it with electricity from the Tishrin Dam. He added that the Autonomous Administration cut off the power to the Mabrouka station in response to Turkey\u2019s turning off the Aluk water station.<\/p>\n

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          1. \n

            Allegations by Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea\u2019s local council to justify Turkey\u2019s disavowal of the agreement<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Following the Russian accusation against Ankara, the local council of the city of Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea<\/a> (affiliated with the Syrian opposition), posted an update<\/a> on its official Facebook page on 4 March 2020, saying that turning off the Aluk water station was a response to the interruption of power from the Tishrin Dam, to the cities of Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea and Tell Abiad<\/a>, and accusing the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian government of cutting the power to the Mabrouka station.<\/p>\n

            According to the Facebook post by Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea\u2019s local council \u2013 which was formed after Turkey and allied National Army took over the city \u2013 the power supplement of the Aluk water station is from the Tishrin Dam, and thus re-pumping water requires resuming the power supply to the city of Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea.<\/p>\n

            However, what the local council said was proven false, as investigations revealed that it is possible to supply the Aluk water station from al-Swaydia generating station, in rural Al-Malikiyah\/Derik<\/a> city in the event of a power outage from the Ad Darbasiyah<\/a> station or from the Tishrin Dam.<\/p>\n

            Human Rights Watch (HRW)<\/a> issued a report<\/a> on 31 March 2020, in which it confirmed that the Mabrouka power station does not supply the Aluk pumping station and that it has alternative power sources enough to operate it.[7]<\/a><\/p>\n

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            1. \n

              The second agreement: Bargaining for an additional load of electricity<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              On 5 March 2020, one day after the Russian announcement, the Aluk water station was put in service again after being interrupted for 11 days and its workers expelled. After consent from Turkey, the station resumed pumping water to the city of al-Hasakah and the town of Tall Tamr and their suburbs.<\/p>\n

              On this, engineers in the team of electricians, jointly formed by the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian government spoke to STJ saying that Turkey allowed the resume of the Aluk station after discussions and understandings concluded with the Russian side, stipulated to raise the power capacity from 7 MW to 10 MW in order to supply Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea, Tell Abiad and their suburbs (Operation Peace Spring areas) with electricity.<\/p>\n

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              1. \n

                Turkey renounced the second agreement and asked for 23 MW of electricity from Tishrin Dam at the expense of other areas in Syria\u2019s north east<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                On 21 March 2020, Turkish forces interrupted the Aluk water station again without disclosing reasons.<\/p>\n

                On this, an engineer supervising the team of electricians, jointly formed by the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian government confirmed to STJ that Turkey stipulated to raise the power capacity from 10 MW to 23 MW in its areas, in exchange for resuming the Aluk water station, though knowing that that would be at the expense of the Autonomous Administration areas.<\/p>\n

                Note that the city of Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea was supplied with 10 MW of power before the Turkish offensive, according to the Power Authority of the Autonomous Administration.<\/p>\n

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                1. \n

                  Domestic and international condemnation of Turkey’s weaponizing water in COVID-19 pandemic<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  In a statement<\/a> issued on 23 March 2020, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)<\/a> condemned the water cutoff saying through its representative in Syria, Fran Equiza: \u201cinterruption to key water station in the northeast of Syria puts 460,000 people at risk as efforts ramp up to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease\u2026The interruption of water supply during the current efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus disease puts children and families at unacceptable risk. Handwashing with soap is critical in the fight against COVID-19.\u201d[8]<\/a><\/p>\n

                  In turn, 49 Syrian organizations released a statement<\/a> denouncing the repeated water cut and calling for the neutralization of the Alok water station from political and military conflicts and ensuring that all residents of northeastern Syria benefited fairly from it without discrimination of any kind.[9]<\/a><\/p>\n

                  In the same context, Human Rights Watch (HRW)<\/a> also issued a report<\/a> on 31 March 2020 saying: \u201cTurkish authorities\u2019 failure to ensure adequate water supplies to Kurdish-held areas in Northeast Syria is compromising humanitarian agencies\u2019 ability to prepare and protect vulnerable communities in the COVID-19 pandemic.\u201d[10]<\/a><\/p>\n

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                  1. \n

                    The third agreement: resuming Aluk water for additional power load<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    Several rounds of negotiations between the Russian military command in northeast Syria and the Turkish forces led to an agreement provided for turning on the Aluk water pumping station on 26 March 2020; five days after the last interruption.<\/p>\n

                    The Russian and Turkish sides, agreed to supply the Operation Peace Spring areas with 12 MW of electricity from the Tishrin Dam via the Mabrouka power station, in exchange for pumping water from the Aluk station to the city of al-Hasakah and its suburbs, according to engineers in the team of electricians, jointly formed by the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian government.<\/p>\n

                    Disregarding the agreement, Turkey interrupted the water again to the city of al-Hasakah and its countryside on 29 March 2020, for the second time in less than 10 days, but it was resumed, however, after only one day, specifically on 30 March 2020, albeit without ensuring permanence.<\/p>\n

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                    1. \n

                      Turkish-backed armed groups shell the main water pipeline, interrupting the pumping again<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                      Again, on 2 April 2020, the water was cut to al-Hasakah and its surroundings due to a damage in the main water pipeline \u2013 connecting the Aluk water pumping station and Al-Himme water collection station, western al-Hasakah, near the village of Umm al-Keif<\/a> (3km to the north of Tell Tamer) \u2013 caused by artillery shelling by the Syrian opposition\u2019s National Army and Turkish forces, in control of the Operation Peace Spring areas.<\/p>\n

                      On 3 April, the maintenance team, formed jointly by the Syrian government and the Autonomous Administration, entered the Aluk station to repair the damaged pipeline.<\/p>\n

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                      Image 3- The Aluk pumping station\u2019s main water pipeline, which was put out of service by Turkey and its allies\u2019 bombardment with mortars and artillery. Credit: \u201cal-Hasakah\u201d Facebook page.<\/p>\n

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                      Image 4.<\/p>\n

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                      Image 5. Images 3, 4 and 5 show the damage caused to the main water pipeline and the available visual analysis. The images are screenshots taken from a video<\/a> published by Hawar News Agency.<\/p>\n

                      The Aluk water station was resumed on 5 April 2020, soon after the pipeline was fixed.<\/p>\n

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                      1. \n

                        Sporadic water cut<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        Yet again the Aluk water station was interrupted on 7 May 2020, to be resumed again after a couple of days; on 9 May 2020. This was followed by another five-day water outage; between 5 and 10 July 2020. Each time the water was cut off, the two parties \u2013 the Syrian opposition and the Autonomous Administration \u2013 accused each other of being responsible for that.<\/p>\n

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                        1. \n

                          Another interruption of the Aluk station following poor water pumping<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          On 13 August 2020, Turkish forces turned off the Alok water pumping station, under their control, to hundreds of thousands of people in northeastern Syria, just as they did earlier repeatedly in March, April and July and that was also followed by a frequent lack of water pumping.<\/p>\n

                          This interruption was the eighth since Turkey and Turkish-backed forces took control of the Aluk water station. Sporadic water shortages disrupt daily life of the population on top of the lockdown imposed since 5 August 2020, to contain the spread of Covid-19.<\/p>\n

                          Turkey\u2019s turning off the Aluk water station followed the Autonomous Administration\u2019s cut of power to Operation Peace Spring areas on 13 August 2020, which was a response to Ankara\u2019s non-compliance with the Russia-mediated water-for-electricity agreement.<\/p>\n

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                          1. \n

                            What are the reasons for the poor water pumping from the Aluk station?<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                            According to the engineers supervising the Aluk water station, the water yield from the station has gradually decreased to nearly a quarter since the beginning of May 2020, for several reasons, including:<\/p>\n