Will StabCommittee’s stabilization of rural Aleppo be curtailed prematurely?



End March 2018 Trump’s decision to freeze all funding to N W Syria for stabilization programs including countering violent extremism hit StabCommittee hard.

“We have no financial support for our team to continue for the moment…”

And so began the message I received from Mohammed Al Najjouma, the Deputy Head of Stabilization Committee Aleppo Provincial Council.

“We were receiving support from the US State Department through the Creative Support for Stability Program … The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) has confirmed funds for the Creative program [have been frozen] because of Trump‘s decision, except for continuing his support for areas under the control of PKK, PYD forces. Unfortunately, Western countries – Europeans and Americans – have stopped supporting our Stabilization Committee team yet our team has some of the best engineers and specialists in the region.

We urgently need support for our team to complete our stability projects in our areas in the northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo.

We are faced with a great humanitarian crisis especially after the increasing numbers of forced displacement and the current demographic change, which has led to an increase in the number of residents coming from the regions of Damascus, Homs and the countryside of Hama in the future. We were forced to increase the demand for support for the region.

We fear chaos and extremism will return to the region if the support provided is insufficient. We believe that our European friends, especially the French, should not stop supporting the moderate opposition areas in the northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo.

It is indeed unfortunate that the humanitarian support of our regions is linked to the political mood of the rulers and presidents.”

Stabilization Committee‘s Twitter profile https://twitter.com/StabCommittee indicates it « is in charge of running services in the newly liberated areas. » It has been a key player in early recovery efforts in northern and eastern rural Aleppo coordinating and implementing humanitarian aid with local councils in areas liberated from ISIS. It was founded on 24 November, 2015 following an Aleppo Provincial Council resolution with its two main offices in Jarabulus and Azaz. Monzer Al Sallal is Head of StabCommittee with Mohammed Al Najjouma by his side as Deputy Head.

Stabilization Committee’s priority in northern and eastern rural Aleppo has been to implement projects and civil activities to restore stability as one area after another was liberated from ISIS thanks to the Euphrates Shield Operation while countering terrorism and extremism.

Once Jarabulus liberated on 24 August 2016, SC’s teams were able to begin implementing the first of its 771 projects for residential areas based on needs assessments prepared in anticipation for Newly Liberated Areas (NLAs) providing public services through a rapid response.

Stabilization Committee’s Mission

SC began by restoring basic infrastructure such as bakeries, water and electricity services, sanitation and waste management, removing rubble and clearing landmines and IEDs placed by ISIS. At the same time, people were encouraged to return to their towns and villages.

Akhtarin Automated Bakery April 2017.

For SC, providing bread, a basic staple in Syria, potable water and electricity is one of the basic factors for stability. At the same time, by subsidizing bread prices SC enabled local councils to sell the bread at lower prices than those practiced by ISIS and thus contributing towards SC’s actions countering terrorism.

Two years on, as the situation has considerably improved on the whole, projects have now been diversified including preparing for post-stability and reconstruction.

Local Councils

Emphasis should be given to the cooperation from the very beginning between Stab Committee and local councils thus assuring stability and avoiding the possible chaos of an administrative vacuum as each town was liberated. This cooperation also assured the continuity of their projects once implemented so that local councils could assume their management once the initial engagement over.

Kick-Off Meetings with Local Councils – consensus and cooperation.

Frequent meetings are held with local councils and local actors on a regular basis where StabCommittee representatives are ready to listen to the problems the town is encountering and the best way they can formulate a policy to meet the town’s needs. Here in Htaimlat town the discussion concerns garbage management and support for operating tractors.

LCs role in countering terrorism in coordination with SIG and Stab Nov 2017.



Agreement was reached on points including patriotism, distributing services in marginalised areas, jobs for young people, activities in schools, interest for students and teachers, women’s role in the community and community engagement.

Training courses for local councils have included among others project management, finance, public relations, monitoring and evaluation and governance.

Waste Management Rubble and ISIS Slogans Removal

34 waste management projects were implemented with waste collected on a daily basis, maintenance work on electricity grids and poles as well as the renovation of parks ensuring cleanliness that can only reassure the population.

The Cleanliness and Waste Management project launched in Jarabulus in August 2017 is a perfect example. It included opening up roads and removing ramparts,

Cleanliness Project Jarabulus August 2017

removing rubble, waste management with waste collected on a daily basis and renovating parks with tree planting campaigns. Stab provided equipment, fuel and maintenance support to all vehicles participating in this project.

There was even an « awareness » program for children – the banana skin in the bin

TASK: Erase all traces of ISIS’ presence

Facilities subjected to sabotage and destruction by ISIS included: schools, bakeries, drinking water pumping stations, general electricity networks, sewage networks destroyed by their mines and mosques bombarded most of the time with explosives. They had also stolen countless machines, service equipment and equipment from bakeries. Mines and IEDs laid by ISIS in streets, towns and agricultural fields, resulting in many victims prior to liberation, were painstakingly removed.

ISIS black slogans and logos were visible reminders of their presence making their removal an essential factor in countering terrorism.

Schools that were used as prisons or torture chambers were transformed by SC teams into colourful places where children, who had lived under ISIS, could draw and sing once again in attempts to erase their fears and bring smiles to their faces as here in Jarabulus August 2017.

When Education counters terrorism and extremism

SC has constantly sensitized parents to the importance of sending their children back to school to acquire a proper education as the best means to counter extremism and violence in the country while overcoming the ignorance ISIS had attempted to impose on Syrian society.

SC has participated in the stabilizing of the education system too by providing equipment to 104 schools and its two education projects in Sawran and Akhtarin.

However, if funding dries up with many schools destroyed and Syrian’s youth prone to radicalization if they don’t get the security and support they need, “chaos and extremism” could once again prevail.

Video: Stabilization Committee in Two Years February 2018 shows services in NLAs thanks to SC’s projects implemented in northern and eastern rural Aleppo.

The video announces its aim: “The war on terrorism is not only military. Our battle is different.” ISIS’s impact in over two years of occupation left the region in chaos where utilities like schools were destroyed, civic activities non-existent and their signature black slogans prevailed. On the other hand, Stab’s “battle” to counter terrorism and extremism lay in its capacity to restore life to normal waging their own interpretation of battle as bringing back humanitarian services and civil activities to local populations.

A vibrant civil society is now flourishing in towns like Jarabulus, Al Bab and Azaz.

Water and Well-Being.

Access to drinking water is vital for a civilian population and a priority for SC.

21 water pumping centres have been rehabilitated; equipment provided including water purification stations, water tankers and gensets for 89 towns and villages.

The dangers of contamination from water-borne diseases such as hepatitis, typhoid, cholera and dysentery are rife in Syria and drinking water is seldom available in makeshift camps. Chlorine pumps have been installed in water pumping centers to sterilize water in several villages and prevent any form of contamination.

Stab Committee putting solar energy to use.

Recently SC began research into the use of solar energy for water pumping centers given the frequent power outages for hospitals and public buildings.



Solar powered lighting in towns like Al Bab now light up its streets at night offering a sense of security to its inhabitants.

An SC team also equipped the Al Bal camp for Eastern Ghouta evacuees near Azaz City in northern rural Aleppo with 29 solar powered light points in May 2018 after several minor injuries in the dark of night.

Once lit up at night, a sense of security prevailed – and much joy for the children.

Health Care and Medical Facilities.

The Bza’a Local Council received an ambulance and medical equipment from SC in July 2017 as did Jarabulus, Al Rai, Akhatrin and Howar Kilis local councils.

SC set up a mobile clinic at the Zoughra IDP camp in June 2017 to aid IDPs from AL Waer in dire need of basic medical services. It also reduced considerably the number of transfers to the nearest hospital in Jarabulus.

It also provided modern medical equipment and requirements to the Bza’a Public Clinic which was reactivated following the liberation of the town.

Empowering Women’s Role in the Community.



SC has emphasised the need to encourage women’s role given the number of those who have become the sole “breadwinners” in their families and stresses the importance of the role local councils have in supporting women‘s empowerment projects all part of SC’s efforts to counter terrorism and extremism.

SC implemented the Ihsan Center in Jarabulus enrolling 600 women, 10 female trainers and teachers. It also provided the Women’s Creativity Centers in Jarabulus, Turkman Bareh, Sawran and Qabbassin with sewing machines.

Workshops are held periodically encouraging community engagement on taxes, fees, media, unifying work mechanisms and the visual identity and links with Syrian Interim Government institutions. The FRAME project is intended to evaluate and develop public institutions while media reports and a monthly magazine are produced to add visibility.

Local councils in collaboration with SC held a series of workshops in May 2018 entitled « Community Engagement in Public Life » intended to promote confidence among different categories of the community and exchanging views in different towns – Turkman Bareh, Al Bab, Soran City, Al Rai…

Stab Committee held Fee Collecting Meetings in May 2018 with 23 Local Councils to discuss the realities and problems encountered by local councils in the northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo.

Further initiatives:

In an effort to encourage agriculture, two water canals at AlGhandoura and Al Suywada were cleared near rural Al Ghandoura recently. SC has been particularly attentive to people with special needs notably deaf-mutes who have been taken on insisting on their willingness to work like anyone else and their capacity to adapt using signs to show them what to do.

As SC’s projects increased so did employment with the number of employees engaged assuring a future stability for the region as the employee gains autonomy and is not tempted by extremism.

Stabilization Committee’s Rapid Response in Afrin

Afrin is in fact a case study of how SC functions.

A detailed “Initial Report on Afrin” had been prepared prior to liberation while YPG/PYD still controlled the region. The day after Afrin was liberated on 18 March 2018 an SC team entered Afrin despite the danger of landmines and IEDs left by YPG PYD to assess urgent needs and prepare reports related to water, bakeries, waste management and inspect services and infrastructure resulting in the “Afrin Needs Assessment Report.”

A week later, Stabilization Committee’s Rapid Response team entered Afrin to implement projects determined by the « Needs Assessment Report » comprising many activities including checking the Midanki Dam, rehabilitating three water pumping centres, applying a waste management campaign, opening and cleaning roads in cooperation with the White Helmets, removing rubble and waste and conducting field tours with Stab’s ambulance and medical staff providing medical services as well as interviewing returnees to Afrin.

Afrin Workshop on Strategic Planning and Project Management Training.

At the end of May 2018, not long after its liberation, SC held a 3 day workshop for members of Afrin Local Councils from Afrin, Bulbul, Rajo, Sheikh Al – Hadid, Mabatli, Sharan LCs on Strategic Planning and Project Management Training aiming at raising the capacity of local councils.

When Stabilization Efforts are Threatened

Yet a new threat is looming over the region – and this time it is neither ISIS nor Bashar al Assad’s regime but from farther afield. Late March 2018, Donald Trump announced he was freezing $200 million in funds intended for stability in Syria and its recovery. Among those directly affected are Syrian organisations such as the White Helmets and Stabilization Committee. It will have disastrous effects on Syrian organisations like StabCommittee in their efforts towards clearing roads, restoring water and electricity, rebuilding schools, hospitals and bakeries and clearing explosive devices.

TRT video: The War in Syria: US to cut Syrian stabilization funds.

Trump’s decision to cut all aid funding to NW Syria diverting it to NE Syria where US forces are aligned with PKK/YPG will have a considerable impact on StabCommittee which has spent the last two years devoting its projects to restoring stability and countering extremist groups. Reduced funding will prevent Stab from continuing its activities at the same pace. TRT notes that the White Helmets have been affected in the same way.

At the same time, it is indeed a bitter pill for Stab Committee to swallow learning that funds that allowed SC to conduct a highly successful operation in Aleppo countryside are being re allocated by the Trump administration to eastern Aleppo to the YPG/PKK, a terrorist organisation recognised by the USA since 1997, the very same YPG/PKK organisation that is launching car or motor bike bombs on an almost daily basis on either Jarabulus or Al Bab from Manbij.

A humanitarian crisis in the making?

Trump’s decision came at the very moment when hundreds of thousands of forcibly evacuated from Damascus, Homs and Hama countryside began arriving in northern Syria. Many chose the area around Jarabulus as a comparative “haven of peace” whereas NGOs in Idlib were struggling to maintain basic services with constant threats of regime and Russian air strikes.

Many had been living under siege for years, were suffering from malnutrition and a lack of medical care. Many others had already been displaced several times and often had been living in overcrowded makeshift camps where access to basic essentials such as food, clean water, hygiene and a sanitation system and health care was limited. Yet given the sheer numbers involved when they arrived in northern Syria, many found themselves stranded without adequate shelter in makeshift camps.

On the other hand, when around 8,000 fighters and families forcibly evacuated from al Waer near Homs arrived in March 2017 at Al Zoughra Refugee Camp near Jarabulus, everything was ready for them. SC provided a mobile health clinic to improve medical and health services in the camp.

Early April 2018, a meeting attended by SC members, Dr Jamad Abu Hatab President of SIG, and local development organisations from northern and eastern rural Aleppo, was held in SC’s office to discuss the situation of Eastern Ghouta IDPs..

Time will tell …meanwhile Stab teams who are used to “rapid response” interventions remain frustrated witnesses as people in the region ask for more. Mohammed Najjouma: “The saddest part is to see many of the newly arrived evacuees in the area in appalling conditions in the camps inside their tents as they try to resist the intense heat during Ramadan…and we have nothing to offer them. They need medical services and water for drinking and washing…it is a very bad situation.”

It is distressing indeed to know these forcibly displaced were uplifted from a familiar environment – admittedly a violent one – to find themselves stranded in makeshift camps all in the name of demographic change inflicted on them by the Assad regime while Stab teams cannot come to their aid as Trump has blocked funding. What’s more, the camps are plagued with mosquitoes and outbreaks of leishmaniasis, which particularly affect children, due to inadequate sanitation, lack of access to clean water and overcrowding.

Installing water meters in Al Rai

Stab’s team has begun installing 1,500 water meters this May 2018 and their protection boxes in Al Rai in every house in the town – a project that will take two months. The aim behind the project is to achieve the fair collection of fees among the population.

For Stab the projects that are currently ongoing are those that had been approved up until now and this water meter project is the final one. Yet doesn’t the fact that a project as « ordinary » as installing water meters in what was until fairly recently a war-zone in Al Rai indicate that Stab Committee is well on the way to succeeding in stabilizing the region?

Reconstruction Studies in a Post-Conflict Syria.

After nearly 2 years of activity in eastern and northern Aleppo countryside Stab Committee and other organisations in the area have accomplished comparative peace and stability. The region is free of military activity and aerial bombardment and with the arrival of important numbers of IDPs reconstruction has become an imperative.

You can find Reconstruction plans for Jarabulus and Sawran below.

CONCLUSION

Stabilization Committee’s aim was to achieve stability and restore civic activities in the newly liberated areas in the eastern and northern Aleppo countryside while erasing all traces of ISIS countering extremism. It has worked all along with local councils implementing projects intended to provide basic daily essentials to civilians returning to their towns and villages. As the situation improved Stab ventured into new projects with solar energy for example even anticipating reconstruction studies. Today its future is uncertain…

Stabilization Committee was accorded funding under an American stability program, more specifically the Creative Support for Stability Program. If the question were asked as to whether SC had achieved complete stability in northern and eastern rural Aleppo the reply would inevitably be that there was still an enormous task ahead but that SC had already accomplished a major success in re-establishing much of the Aleppo country side.

Nobody can question an evaluation of US funds allotted for stabilization programs in Syria but was it necessary to freeze all funding while waiting for a conclusion? When one learns that the International Impartial Independent Mechanism (IIIM) so proudly proclaimed in February 2018 by the US is included in the Recovery budget and is now on hold too, one can only conclude that it was a hasty short sighted decision.

Meanwhile, in eastern and northern rural Aleppo, its effects have already provoked more than a ripple exposing civilians to possible renewed violence and depriving them of services they had become accustomed to thanks to Stabilization Committee. Yet it is sadly the newly arrived in their tents in those makeshift camps who have lived through sieges, malnutrition and lack of medical aid who are feeling the brunt of this crisis for the moment probably wondering if this really is the “haven of peace” they had chosen.

My warm thanks to:

https://twitter.com/EngNajjouma

https://twitter.com/moetaz89

https://twitter.com/WyvernReports

For further information on Stabilization Committee’s activities you can contact:

Stabilization Committee on Twitter: https://twitter.com/StabCommittee

Monzer Al Sallal Stab Committee Head: Stabhead@stabcom.org

Mohammed Al Najjouma Stab C Deputy: Scdeputy@stabcom.org

Further reading:

Stabilization Committee Profile 2015-2017

https://mailchi.mp/e923ca607efb/stabilization-committee-137411

Sawran Reconstruction December 2017

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10edf5krVcuO7CECy4BiYKqy2kXzeuys7/view

Jarabulus Reconstruction February 2018

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10edf5krVcuO7CECy4BiYKqy2kXzeuys7/view

Stabilization Committee Plays a Vital Role in Newly Liberated Areas April 2018

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/my-drive

My earlier articles on Stabilization Committee:

Stabilization Committee: Attaining Stability in Rural N and East Aleppo Nov 2017

https://dlockyer.wordpress.com/2017/11/18/stabilization-committee-attaining-stability-in-rural-n-and-e-aleppo/

Stabilization Committee’s Rapid Response to Liberated Afrin April 2018

https://dlockyer.wordpress.com/2018/04/05/stabilization-committees-rapid-response-to-liberated-afrin/

Renovating Water Canals Boosts Agriculture in Al Ghandoura thanks to Stabilization Committee April 2018

https://dlockyer.wordpress.com/2018/04/21/renovating-water-canals-boosts-agriculture-in-al-ghandoura-thanks-to-stab-committee/