ROJEVÎN RÛBA

Maxmur- The Kurdistan Regional Government has imposed a siege on the Maxmur refugee camp since 2019. Thousands of people have died of various ailments, and many pregnant women have lost their unborn babies due to the ongoing siege.

Siege, attacks of ISIS and Turkish airstrikes

Speaking about their journey in the Maxmur Refugee Camp, Filiz Budak said, “Since 1998, we have been living in the Maxmur refugee camp. Before taking shelter in the Maxmur Camp, we lived in different camps between 1994 and 1998. The Kurdistan Regional Government has imposed a siege on the camp since 2019. While suffering from this siege, the ground attacks of ISIS and airstrikes of the Turkish state continue to target us. Women and children are the most vulnerable in these attacks.”

The siege causes the deaths of many patients

Many children and the elderly have died due to the ongoing siege, Filiz Budak said, “Many patients suffering from chronic diseases, pregnant women and children have died because they couldn’t go to hospital due to the siege. This situation has been affected the people living in the camp.1

“There is only one health center in the camp”

Budak pointed out that the available medicines in Maxmur hospital are limited and are not sufficient for patients. “There is only one health center in the camp and the center has limited medicines. And this situation causes women and children to suffer more. Many people died in the camp due to diseases and viruses spreading in summer and many more died of coronavirus. All routes to the refugee camp are closed and the people living in the camp are denied humanitarian aid.”

Children are more vulnerable in attacks

Speaking about the Turkish airstrikes on the Maxmur Refugee Camp, Budak said, “The attacks also affect children’s mental health. The shells dropped on children’s sports fields and playground affect the children’s mental health. The children are more vulnerable in these attacks.”

“The camp has been bombarded eight times”

Stating that the Maxmur Refugee Camp has been bombarded eight times since the siege began to be imposed on the camp, Filiz Budak said, “ISIS attacked the camp before 2019 and the Turkish state has launched airstrikes on the camp since 2017. The attacks on the camp have been intensifying since the siege began to be imposed on the camp. Many people have been killed and injured in these attacks.”

Turkish drones fly over the camp every day

Stating that the Turkish drones fly over the camp every day, Filiz Budak said, “The Maxmur refugee camp was targeted eight times by the Turkish state between 2019 and 2022. Under the auspices of the United Nations, the responsible parties recognizing the people living in the camp as refugees are responsible for ending these atrocities and attacks.”