Aid for the earthquake victims on the Syrian side has so far only arrived slowly. So far, the government has allowed the transports to flow completely through the areas it controls. International pressure now seems to be having an effect.
Syria’s ruler Bashar al-Assad has agreed to open two more border crossings to allow aid for victims of last week’s devastating earthquake, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Guterres said he welcomed Assad’s decision. The opening will allow “more help to come in” and “quicker,” assured the UN Secretary-General.
According to Guterres, the agreement also includes access to conflict zones for humanitarian workers and faster visa procedures. The border crossings in question are Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee in northeastern Syria. The opening will initially apply for three months, explained Guterres. Assad announced the decision to open further borders at a meeting with UN emergency aid coordinator Martin Griffiths in Damascus on Monday, according to UN sources.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook the Turkish-Syrian border area on Monday. According to the authorities, around 31,600 fatalities were recovered in Turkey by Monday. At least 3,688 people have died across the border in Syria. According to UN estimates, up to 5.3 million people could have become homeless in Syria alone as a result of the earthquake.
But help is slow to get there. Twelve years of civil war have had a devastating impact on the Syrian healthcare system. The disaster area in the northwest of the country is divided into Damascus-controlled areas and territories controlled by anti-government and predominantly Islamist militias, which makes the difficult situation for rescue workers and aid supplies even more difficult.
About four million people live in the rebel-controlled areas. So far, the Bab al-Hawa border crossing has been the only open crossing for aid deliveries to Syria. Demands have recently grown louder that Damascus should open more border crossings. US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the announced border openings would be “a good thing for the Syrian people” if Assad was “serious.”
