The administration of Rojava has raised concerns over a looming “environmental disaster in the Euphrates River” following a recent explosion at a gold mine in Turkey.
Fears are mounting that Turkey may be attempting to conceal the pollution of the Euphrates River caused by the explosion, despite the imminent threat posed to Iraq and Syria, as highlighted by the Environment Board.
Calling upon the public, as well as international and regional environmental organizations, the Autonomous Administration’s Environmental Board is urging collective action to safeguard the environment and society.
Officials from the Kobanê Water Authority shared that water samples from the Euphrates River have been dispatched to a laboratory in Raqqa for detailed analysis of potential contamination.
The explosion at a gold mine in the Erzincan region of North Kurdistan last month triggered landslides, sparking worries about the possible introduction of hazardous cyanide into the river.
Although Turkish authorities have claimed to have averted the flow of cyanide into the Euphrates River post-explosion, the situation remains precarious.
The blast resulted in the loss of nine workers, while over 10 individuals have been arrested on negligence charges, and five officials have been dismissed from their posts.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the massive mud deposits from the mine measure between 9-10 million square meters, stretching across an area of 100 acres.
