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RAQQA-MAY 6: Open sewage lines and poor infrastructure in northern Syria’s Raqqa province have raised health concerns as cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, locally known as “Aleppo boil,” continue to spread, residents and health officials said.Residents of al-Haysha village, north of Raqqa, urged authorities to take urgent action, saying stagnant wastewater, open sewage pits and insects have worsened living conditions and contributed to the spread of the disease, especially among children and elderly people.Raqqa Health Director Dr. Abdullah Hamoud told Anadolu that infections had recently increased, particularly in Haysha. He said the disease is transmitted by sandflies and spreads in areas where stagnant water and poor sanitation provide a suitable environment for insects to breed.Hamoud said open sewage pits left around the village during the previous PKK/YPG presence, along with neglected agricultural drainage canals, had contributed to the formation of swamps and the rise in infections.He said around 3,700 cases had been recorded across Raqqa before the province was liberated from YPG occupation, while about 1,500 cases were detected in 2026.A program to combat the disease has been launched in coordination with the Syrian Health Ministry, including the delivery of medicines, mobile teams and the opening of several treatment centers across the province.Residents Ahmed Issa, Ramadan al-Abbo and Abdurrahman Dervish said the disease had affected many families in the village and called for urgent sanitation and municipal services, saying repeated complaints had not led to a lasting solution.(Footage by /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)