After flooding, national coalition paves roads in Aleppo camps

PAVE THE WAY: The Syrian National Coalition ministries of communication, transport and industry began paving roads in north Aleppo’s Atma and Bab a-Salama IDP camps on Sunday after yet another rain-filled autumn flooded the small tent cities that sit on dirt ground.

The move follows the wide circulation of photos of mud-ridden children and tents on social media in recent weeks, also covered by Syria Direct here and here.

The national coalition is paving roads “in order to save the Syrian refugees in the camps from the nightmare of mud and swamps,” reported the media office of the ministry of communications on Sunday.

Two weeks ago, heavy rains did in fact turn the Bab a-Salama camp into a “mud swamp,” the camp’s administration was quoted by pro-opposition Aleppo News as saying October 15.

In this photo, residents observe the paving operation, which is also intended to “facilitate the arrival of necessary humanitarian aid,” according to the ministry of communications.

In Jordan, the Zaatari refugee camp’s administration and the UNHCR have begun implementation of a winter-preparation plan, which includes distribution of blankets and heaters and the clearing of channels intended to lead rainwater outside the camp to prevent stagnant water pools, reported Jordanian newspaper al-Ghad last month.

-October 27, 2014

-Photo courtesy of @RamadanSyria. 

 For more from Syria Direct, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.