The city of al-Bab in northwestern Syria is now home to 400,000 civilians following Turkey’s operation to clear terrorism from the region.
In line with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 across its border in al-Bab, northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents.
Al-Bab was cleared of Daesh terrorists in the sixth month of the operation.
Through projects carried out in the fields of education, health, infrastructure and services, the population in the al-Bab city center and surrounding settlements reached around 400,000.
Attaching great importance to the right to education of those living in the region, Turkey played a major role in the reconstruction of 150 schools in al-Bab, where currently around 150,000 students receive education in the city center.
Also, Gaziantep University, located in Turkey’s southeastern Gaziantep province, established a faculty in the city.
Health services prioritized
Turkey’s Health Ministry has also carried out work in the region to help residents, providing health services within the scope of humanitarian and technical assistance.
Many health institutions catering to citizens have been set up in the region as the ministry has been working to minimize the transfer of patients from Syria to Turkey.
Al-Bab Hospital, established in the city center with the contributions of Turkey’s Health Ministry, has become one of the most important hospitals in northern Syria.
Turkey’s Diyanet Foundation also restored many mosques in the area with the support of philanthropists.
However, residents want the mounting attacks by the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organization, the YPG, to come to an end. The YPG targets al-Bab from Syria’s Manbij and Tal Rifat areas that remain under the group’s control.
In its more than 40-year terrorism campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. -Agencies
