Reports | 25 05 2020
The tiny town of Menegh in Aleppo’s northern countryside is inhabited by circa 16,500 civilians—despite having been the stage of a fierce battle between the Syrian regime and the opposition forces; particularly as given its proimity to Menegh military airport.
An Infrastructure in Danger!
A great destruction befell the town caused by the bombing, thereby disabling its infrastructure. The post, town infirmary, the main bakery, hospital, and mosque edifices had all—more than once—come under bombing by regime forces. This has put them out of commission.
Ghiath al-Dakk, local Menegh town council chairman, tells Rozana: "Several families fled into Menegh, in two phases. In the first, 300 families fled into the town from [the cities of] Tabqah and Raqqa, following the entering of Daesh’s entry thereinto. In the second circa 165 families arrived, coming from [the cities of] Kafrah, Mare’, Sheikh Isa, and Soran."
Despite this influx, the town experiences a tragic situation. The destruction it suffer; in addition to the crisis of the recently displaced people arriving to it. Meanwhile, civilians are still struggling with the adverse conditions in their quest to rebuild “Menegh."
Local Reconstruction!
"We are rebuilding the town mosque, after the devastation it what was subjected to. The town of Menegh is adjacent to the military airport. When the battles around the airport commenced, it came under heavy fire from the regime forces." Says one of the citizens, stressing, the intention of the people to build their town.
Menegh civilians are demanding health and education organizations to provide services for the town; particularly given the large number of displaced people when contrasted against the destruction of public facilities.
Abu Mohammed, a town native, has a small vegetable shop. He explains to Rozana: "The town has no postal services, no transportation, no schools. All of that was destroyed after two years of war that affected the region. How would the town fare in such a situation?”
Embracing the Displaced—Despite the Devastation
The small town in the northern Aleppo countryside, has embraced displaced families and opened its homes to them—despite itself being a stricken town, according to some natives’ views.
Media activist Omar Shamali, familiar with the town’s situation, confirms that the town suffers an acute shortage of essential health and emergency materials for its natives; following the bombing of the town’s only clinic. "Schools have also been bombed; while there are other schools which became shelters for the displaced as a result of the housing in the town,” adds Shamali.
All the aforementioned notwithstanding, the people of the town still await a reply to their repeated appeals from charitable organizations, involved in the provision of support in the education and health to the town. To date, however, the town’s people are left to their own devices facing the effects of war.