Water Resources Minister affirms Government will take measures to confront drop in water level of Euphrates

Deir Ezzor, SANA-Minister of Water Resources, Tammam Ra’ad, inspected on Wednesday the situation of the water system in Deir Ezzor and the measures taken to confront the drop in the level of Euphrates water as Turkey seizes quantities of Syria’s share in the river’s water.

The minister’s tour included the two projects of the 3rd and 5th sectors  for the agricultural irrigation and drinking water stations in all of Mahkan, Mu Hassan and Ayyash.

Speaking to journalists, Minister Ra’ad said that the decline of drainage of Euphrates River’s water to less than 50% of the import starting from the point of its entry to the Syrian territories was reflected in the decrease of water drainage in riverbed in different levels and sites of irrigation as well as drinking water stations.

He added that “the situation is reassuring” in terms of securing drinking water and level of agricultural irrigation pumps where all measures were taken by the authorities concerned, and vehicles were brought from Aleppo and Homs to bulldoze canals and riverbed in the third section to secure the return of water flow.

The Minister stressed that the reason behind the decline is the water suspension from the Turkish side whom we demand to release the water as per the just share determined for all of Syrian and Iraq.

He added “we also call on the international community and organizations to interfere in this issue in order to return the flow of Euphrates water,” indicating that the continuation of this condition threatens the water security in all of Raqqa, Der Ezzor and Hassaka.

Baraa Ali/ Mazen Eyon