Hama Northern Countryside Violations of the Astana Agreement and a Deteriorating Humanitarian Situation

10 May 2019 The military forces of the Government of (GoS) began to breach the Sochi Agreement covering northern shortly before its expiration in September 2018. The Sochi Agreement allowed for the establishment of a 12-15 km wide demilitarized zone near the border between areas controlled by the opposition armed groups (OAGs) and the GoS. This report attempts to shed light on the violations that have occurred in Hama’s northern countryside, which is one of the regions included in the de-escalation zones agreement, as well provide updates of the humanitarian situation and services in the region.

I. About Hama Northern Countryside

The population of Hama’s northern and western countryside is estimated at 300,000 people distributed over more than 120 towns, villages, and farms, according to the statistics of the Free Council. The population of Hama’s northern and western countryside constitutes about 20% of the total population of Hama province.

II. The security situation in Hama countryside

From the beginning of 2019 to the date of this report, Hama’s northern and western countryside has been continuously bombarded by the GoS forces. The shelling intensified on 9 April 2019, as the GoS bombed the civilian population with various types of weapons, resulting in the killing of many civilians, including women and children. As a result, large numbers of people were displaced towards the northern camps. Additionally, civilian houses were destroyed, and key infrastructure, especially health and education facilities, were damaged. Since May 2019, the GoS launched heavy and massive bombardment on the countrysides of Hama and . The shelling coincided with a ground incursion into the area, which led to the control of the GoS on the Qalaat al-Madiq and the Kafarnabouda in Hama northern countryside. The fierce military campaign resulted in the death of 168 civilians, including 25 women and 23 children and resulted in an additional 201 wounded, according to Hama Media Office (HMO). In addition, more than 25,899 families have been displaced to Idlib northern countryside as a result of the recent military campaign against Hama’s northern and western countrysides and the Idlib southern countryside. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) statistics, the number of displaced persons has reached 131,230, including 32,243 women, 26,250 men, 38,707 girls, and 33,971 boys.

III. Health situation & services

Health situation: ● On 9 September 2018, the GoS, according to Hama Health Directorate, shelled the Health Center and al-Latamna Hospital, causing partial damage. ● The Ambulance Center in Kafr Zita was hit directly with rockets on 26 March 2019, causing it to temporary go out of service.

● The GoS also launched an air attack on the Middle Gab Health Center in al-Gab area on 7 May 2019, causing it to completely go out of service. ● On 8 May, warplanes targeted the Kafr Zita Health Center in Hama northern countryside, leading to the destruction of parts of the center, as well as causing it to completely go out of service. ● On 8 May, warplanes targeted the Health Center with explosive barrels and rockets, leading to the full destruction of the center, as well as causing it to completely go out of service. ● Thus, the number of health facilities targeted in Hama northern and western countrysides since the start of the military campaign on Hama has reached ten health facilities: three hospitals, two surgical units, and five health centers.

The administrative director of the 111 Specialized Hospital in Qalaat al-Madiq said that the hospital went out of service, on 16 April 2019, after being targeted directly by the GoS forces.

The following table shows the health centers that went out of service in Hama northern and western countrysides, according to Hama Health Directorate: The Kafr Zita The 111 The Ambulance Specialized al-Latamna The Kafr Zita Specialized Center in Kafr Hospital (al- Hospital Health Center Hospital Nabudah Maghara)

The Kafr The Ambulance The Middle Gab The al-Salam Qalaat al-Madiq Nabudah Health Center in Kafr Health Center Health Center Health Center Center Zita

In addition to military targeting, there is a lack of services and medical equipment in all medical facilities, which was accompanied recently with the suspension or reduction of support by the supporting bodies and donors. According to Hama Health Directorate, the number of hospitals and health centers in Hama northern and western countrysides is 19, distributed as follows:

Name of hospital / Name of hospital / Specialization Specialization health center health center

The 111 Specialized The Kafr Nabudah Primary Health Care Women and Children Hospital Health Center and Pharmacy

Clinics, children, women, dental The 111 Specialized al-Salam Health Center (ambulance, Women and Children Hospital laboratory), routine vaccinations, and leishmaniasis clinic.

The First Specialized All medical specialties, al-Baroudi Health medicine, medical Hospital Women and Children Center tests, and medical imaging

al-Sham Central The Kafr Zita Health Ambulance, Vaccines, General Surgery Hospital Center and Pharmacy

Women, Children, Qalaat al Madiq Health Department of trauma, Center al-Latamna Hospital General Surgery and emergency

The Kafr Zita The surgical unit in Kafr All medical specialties Ambulance and Surgery Specialized Hospital Nabudah

The Southern Gab Primary Health Care - The Ambulance Center Ambulance and Surgery Health Center Pharmacy in Kafr Zita

The Northern Gab Primary Health Care - The Ambulance Center Ambulance and Health Center Pharmacy in Mork Pharmacy

The Hama Health Pediatric clinic - Directorate has four The Middle Gab Health Routine vaccines - Mobile clinics in Hama mobile clinics that Center Ambulance department provide daily medical services to citizens

Providing medical Women - Children - services and Nabd al-Hayat Health Routine Vaccines - Ambulance system transferring patients to Center leishmania hospitals and medical points

Services: Local councils in the area reported that the bombing affected all infrastructure, including electricity, drinking water, and roads. The electrical network depends on the air lines to transmit electricity, which led to the interruption of electrical wiring in most areas and the disruption of wells running on electric power. The roads were damaged as well.

IV. Education

There is a shortage of schools and equipment, and students were forced to leave their schools and escape the bombing with their families. According to the Hama Education Directorate, many schools have gone out of service. The following table shows the numbers and conditions of the schools: Schools Closed Number of Open Area Number of Schools Open Schools Because of and Partially Shelling Damaged Schools

Northern 64 26 38 16 Countryside

Western 123 92 31 60 Countryside

According to the Hama Education Directorate, all schools in Hama northern and western countrysides suffer from a lack of school seats, panels, doors, windows, water tanks, toilets, and stationery.

H.K, a teacher from the al-Thawra Neighborhood School, confirmed that there are a large number of students who dropout of schools as a result of the frequent shelling of the area. Since April, schools in Kafr Zita have been completely closed due to the intensification of shelling and the almost total displacement of the population.

V. Recommendations by Hama Local Platform:

Due to the situation on the ground in Hama northern countryside, the Syrian Civic Platform (SCP) consider the targeting of civilians a clear violation of The Geneva Convention, relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, adopted on 12 August 1949, especially since Syria is a signatory to the Convention. As such, the SCP recommends the following:

1. We call on the guarantor states of the de-escalation zones agreement and the international community, represented by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council, to act swiftly to put an immediate end to the bombing and hostilities carried out by the GoS and its allies.

2. We call on civil society and relief organizations to act to meet the needs of displaced families, which are now lacking the basic necessities of life. 3. The SCP recommends that local and international medical relief organizations provide the necessary support to Hama Health Directorate and its centers, especially since most of the health centers and hospitals affiliated with it witness at this critical stage the suspension of support by some donors, as well as severe shortages of medicines and medical materials. 4. The SCP recommends that the United Nations, international, and local organizations intervene immediately to stop the targeting of schools in Hama northern and western countrysides and to provide financial support to pay salaries to staff in more than five schools working voluntarily, repair damaged schools, and secure panels, doors, water tanks, textbooks, and stationery.