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COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns Kick Off in Hasakah Refugee Camps

COVID-19 vaccine campaign kicks off in Roj and Newroz camps in northeast Syria [Asharq Al-Awsat]
COVID-19 vaccine campaign kicks off in Roj and Newroz camps in northeast Syria [Asharq Al-Awsat]
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COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns Kick Off in Hasakah Refugee Camps

COVID-19 vaccine campaign kicks off in Roj and Newroz camps in northeast Syria [Asharq Al-Awsat]
COVID-19 vaccine campaign kicks off in Roj and Newroz camps in northeast Syria [Asharq Al-Awsat]

COVID-19 vaccine campaigns were launched on Monday in the refugee camps of Syria’s northeastern region of Hasakah, which is under the control of the Autonomous Administration.

The campaign kicked off by targeting the elderly and those with chronic diseases in Newroz Camp in the northern countryside of Derik.

The Autonomous Administration received last month 23,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines through the COVAX program, including 13,200 doses for Hasakah.

The WHO Country Office in Syria said it will provide logistical support to mobile vaccination teams in the region to ensure wider coverage and equitable access to the vaccines.

“The vaccination campaign will last for only one day in the Roj Camp,” said Serbest Hussam, the person in charge of the vaccinations in the Health center in Derik.

He said only 50 doses were given to people above 55 years old, and those with chronic diseases.

Around 750 families live in the camp, including Iraqi refugees, displaced Syrians, and ISIS families, according to the camp management.

Meanwhile, in the Newroz Camp, medical teams began giving the second dose of the vaccine to those who were vaccinated two months ago.

The camp houses about 300 families with a total of 1,650 people who were displaced from the regions of Afrin, Sere Kaniye, and Tel Abyad.

Also, only 50 doses of the vaccine were provided to people above 55 years old, and to those who are above 18 but have chronic diseases.

Hussam said medical teams launched an awareness campaign at the camps.

“We wanted to counter misleading information about the vaccine and the rumors about its side-effects,” he said.

On Monday, the Autonomous Administration reported three COVID-19 related deaths in areas under its control and 34 confirmed cases, bringing the total number of infections to 18,281, including 752 deaths.

The director of the medical point of the Kurdish Red Crescent in the camp, Mahmoud Ali, said that no COVID-19 infections were reported at both camps during the past month.

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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Friday that Iraq has received explicit threats from Israel, adding that the country’s armed forces have been instructed by the prime minister to prevent any attacks originating from Iraqi territory.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the armed forces to take action against anyone launching attacks from the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Iraq does not seek war and aims to avoid its dangers, noting that the region is “on fire” and facing “clear threats from Israel.”

The agency also reported that the Iraqi government has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to address Israeli threats. Iraq’s permanent representative to the Arab League submitted a request for a session at the level of permanent representatives of member states to confront what was described as menaces from the “Zionist entity.”

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he had sent a message to the president of the UN Security Council urging immediate action against activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Sa’ar asserted that the Iraqi government bears responsibility for any actions occurring within or emanating from its territory.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have expressed pessimism about the outcome of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Nevertheless, they emphasized Baghdad’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting peace and security.

Speaking at the American University Forum in Duhok on Friday, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani highlighted that the challenges facing Iraq have fundamentally changed since October 7.

He described the current situation in the Middle East as a “second Nakba”, stressing that the challenges stem from the failure of the international system, which he described as “ambiguous.”

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid stated that Iraq would play its role in promoting peace in the Middle East and expressed his full support for efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

Speaking at the Duhok Forum, Rashid said that Iraq and the region are facing circumstances that require all parties to closely monitor the situation and find appropriate solutions to ongoing problems, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and security.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called for Iraq to remain neutral in the conflict, saying: “The crises in the region and the scenes of war in Lebanon and Gaza are tragic. We hope this suffering will come to an end.”

“We are all awaiting changes following the US presidential election. All indications suggest that a Trump administration will adopt a different approach compared to President Biden’s policies,” he added.

The Iraqi government has stated that under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with the United States, Washington is responsible for “deterring and responding to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.”

According to media reports, the US has informed Baghdad that Israeli military strikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless Baghdad prevents Iran-backed factions from launching attacks against Israel.