ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Friday the US aid suspensions would deteriorate the already life-threatening conditions at camps housing wives and children of Islamic State (ISIS) militants in northeast Syria.

 

"The US government's suspension of foreign aid to non-governmental organisations operating in these camps is exacerbating life-threatening conditions, risking further destabilisation of a precarious security situation," HRW said in a statement.

 

The aid suspensions will "limit provision of essential services for camp residents", the HRW warned, citing international humanitarian workers.

 

Just four days after his return to the White House, US President Donald Trump decided to suspend funds provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to its linked NGOs overseas.

 

As part of its dismantling of the USAID, the Trump administration on Thursday presented a plan to cut staffing worldwide for US aid projects, a move that will dramatically leave fewer than 300 workers out of thousands.

 

The Trump administration has accused the USAID of wasting money, planning to merge it with the US Department of State.

 

The aid suspensions have left organizations in the northeast "unsure how to proceed with deliveries of essential goods, like kerosene and water, further exacerbating pre-existing shortages," the statement said.

 

Following the January 24 order, HRW said Blumont, an organisation responsible for camp management in Al Hol and Roj, suspended activities and withdrew all staff, including guards.

 

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio should continue US assistance to organizations providing essential lifesaving assistance in northeast Syria," the group said.

 

Located in northern Syria, Roj and Al-Hol camps host tens of thousands of displaced people from 42 different nationalities, including families of Iraqi, Syrian, and foreign ISIS militants.