Qamishlo Residents Endure Eid al-Adha Amid Severe Water and Power Shortages

ARK News.. Residents of Qamishlo welcomed Eid al-Adha this year without access to potable water or electricity, casting blame on the PYD-led administration for ongoing neglect of essential public services and its failure to offer practical solutions to a crisis that has persisted for years.

According to local sources, the primary reason behind the water shortages in various neighborhoods is the reduced electrical supply to pumping stations. The PYD administration has reportedly cut electricity allocations, forcing reliance on generators that operate for limited hours and lack the capacity to sustain full water distribution.

Sources also revealed that electricity is being diverted to security, military, and PYD-affiliated institutions, rather than prioritizing critical infrastructure such as water stations, bakeries, and public service facilities.

The same sources pointed to widespread violations along the main water lines—ranging from illegal connections to the farms of senior PYD officials in the Qamishli countryside to deliberate manipulation of pumping mechanisms. Some lines have been shut off entirely to favor select neighborhoods at the expense of others.

Qamishlo has suffered from chronic water shortages for over five years, with entire districts going days without drinking water, particularly during the summer months. Additionally, the city has been cut off from the main power grid for nearly a year and a half.

As residents continue to endure the mounting strain of daily life, frustration with the local administration is growing, especially during what should be a festive and unifying holiday.

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