HADEEL AL-OMAR

Idlib- Amputation is the loss or removal of a body part such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm or leg. The most common causes of amputation include wars, accidents, and congenital limb differences. The living conditions of amputees living in internally displaced people (IDPs) camps located in Idlib, occupied by the Turkish state and its armed faction Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have been deteriorating.

NuJINHA spoke to amputees suffering from poor sanitation, the lack of healthcare services and unsafe environment in these camps.

‘We lost everything overnight’

29-year-old Fawzia Al-Dairy was trapped under rubble and lost one of her legs in the earthquake that struck Turkey, Northern Kurdistan and Syria on February 6, 2023. After losing her house, she settled in one of IDPs camps with her two children and husband. “We lost everything overnight. I lost my leg and house while my husband lost his job. As if time stopped on that day. I have a more difficult life now. I have no opportunities to meet even my basic needs.”

‘We face discrimination in society’

46-year-old Bara Osman is an amputee living in the Atma camp and she is one of the displaced people from the city of Ma'arrat Misrin. She lost one of her legs in a landmine explosion in 2011, when the civil war spread across Syria. “I cannot buy a prosthetic leg because it is very expensive. I applied to many organizations to get one; however, they did not give me a prosthetic leg. I have difficulties in meeting my needs with a leg. We, as amputees, face discrimination in society,” she told us.

‘Prosthetic limbs should be free’

20-year-old Sarah Al-Bakrawi lost her right hand in the Feb.6 earthquake. Sarah had to drop out of school because she had difficulty writing with her left hand. Suffering from depression for a long time, Sarah wants to hold on to life despite all the challenges. “Amputees need special health services and psychological support in the camp. Prosthetic limbs should be free of charge.”