A German Doctor in Syria III

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Day 17 and a conclusion: Our work is not finished yet, not for a long time

The so-called “Houses of the Injured“ exist in every bigger town in Rojava.
The male and female soldiers of the Kurdish People´s Defense Units, who were injured severely during the fight against the IS and are in need of a longer convalescence, are brought there.
During my first trip to Northern Syria in 2014, I had to realize, that many injured people had been operated on more or less well, but the necessary follow-up treatment was insufficient.
Thorsten Lengfeld, physiotherapist from Mainz, gives the much needed help in that regard.
He works in the “House of the Injured“ in Quamishlo, teaches therapists who have come there from different areas of Rojava in physiotherapy. He continues the work of a team of physiotherapists from Mainz who started to help people to help themselves and train local helpers already two years ago. Thorsten´s expertise helps to mitigate the misery of the mostly young men and women, who sacrifice life and health in the fight against the IS and for new social conditions.
According to Thorsten the prosthetic care for lost limbs is better now than three years ago.
But the physiotherapeutical treatment is still insufficient. Without the necessary physiotherapy joints will go stiff, muscles atrophy and cases of paralysis become more impairing than with proper treatment.

We have an appointment to plan our journey back to Germany, when news reaches me, that our medical station 2 in Rakka, where just 2 days ago I still have cared for the injured, has come under fire from the IS. We learn that a terrorist commando, disguised with the uniforms of the Kurdish units, had managed to get through the checkpoints. In the street where also our ambulance station is situated the IS men opened fire, killing a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) right at the entrance of our medical base and then barricaded themselves in inside a house.

Sherwan and me are deeply worried, we confer with other members of the Kurdish Red Crescent and immediately leave in an ambulance to render assistance to the attacked.
Normally the ride from Quamishlo to Rakka takes four and a half hours, we manage in three hours, with sirens and blue lights. On the way we are joined by three more vehicles of the Kurdish Red Crescent.
Our little convoy pulls into the last safe military post before the front. There we are told: Wait!
The IS snipers are still keeping the area under fire. We are relieved to learn that at least nothing happened so far to our people who have barricaded themselves in inside the rescue center.

Shortly afterwards the attack on the entrenched IS fighters begins. We do not get to know how many of them were killed. We only get to see a video of our station, in which we can see four captured IS fighters being led away. Then the sad news: The IS has killed at least 20 people during this attack. We drive back to Quamishlo, reaching the headquarter at midnight. We are knackered.

My personal conclusion: During my sixth aid mission in Rojava I have experienced again how, by building up ambulance stations, hospitals and pharmacies, the Kurdish Red Crescent, as an independent organisation, has an immensely important part in the rebuilding of the health system in the Northern Syrian Rojava region. And I think: Anybody being serious about the slogan “Fighting the causes of flight“ would have to give aid to organisations like the Kurdish Red Crescent.
The social changes in Rojava, the attempts to practice elements of grassroots democracy, equal rights of men and women, and openness towards differnt ethnic groups, deserve support in my view.
In a region shaped by despotism and terror, Rojava is more than a bright spot.
Being able to make a small contribution, to be of assistance here fills me with great joy.
Tomorrow we have to leave but we shall return.

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Original in German by Dr Michael Wilk, translated into English by likedeeler.
Here is the link to the German original and the source of the photo.