Displaced Families Shelter in Syrian School Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty
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A vacant school in Qamishli, Syria, is being used as a shelter for families displaced by fighting earlier this year. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted the conflict, but its terms involving Kurdish autonomy have not been fully implemented. Some families have begun returning to their homes under the ceasefire deal.
Facts First
- A vacant school in Qamishli is sheltering displaced families who fled fighting in January.
- A U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted fighting this year, but its terms have not been fully implemented.
- In mid-April, 800 displaced families returned to Afrin under the ceasefire deal.
- Syrian Kurds provided ground forces alongside the U.S. military to defeat ISIS seven years ago.
- Schools in the area have not been in session since the fighting in January.
What Happened
Public schools in northeastern Syria were turned into shelters in January as fighting escalated. Syrian government forces retook territory in the Kurdish-led breakaway region, and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted the fighting later this year. The families now residing in the Qamishli school shelter previously came from the Tabqa displacement camp. One family, Said Mohammad Mustafa and Sabah Hassan Biro, were among the last to leave their camp in January after receiving two hours' notice; they lost contact with their 15-year-old daughter, Zaynib, during the evacuation. Zaynib's body was returned to her parents and she was buried in mid-April in Qamishli along with four others who received martyrs' funerals.
Why this Matters to You
For the displaced families, daily life involves significant hardship. The school shelter contains small kerosene-powered heaters in classrooms, but there is no fuel available for cooking. A shopkeeper at the school entrance sells snacks to earn money, which may be one of the few sources of food. The conflict has also disrupted education, as schools in the area have not been in session since January. For families like Mustafa and Biro's, the personal cost has been profound, involving the loss of a child during the chaotic displacement.
What's Next
The ceasefire deal may lead to further returns of displaced people, as 800 families have already returned to Afrin. However, the full implementation of the ceasefire terms—which involve the Syrian government taking over Kurdish-held borders, security, and oil fields in exchange for Kurdish rights—remains uncertain and could be a source of future tension. The U.S. role may continue to be questioned, as Kurdish leaders have accused the U.S. of abandonment, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment on those accusations.