Dozens Syrian organizations call for comprehensive response to earthquake
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, 138 Syrian Organizations called for a comprehensive and non-discriminatory response to Monday’s earthquakes.
A statement, signed by 138 organizations and published by media websites and the Hevdesti/Synergy Association, a victims’ advocacy group focused on Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad, stated that “concerned entities must take action to guarantee that all quake-hit areas, without exception, have access to relief operations and humanitarian aid and that aid delivery is not hampered or blocked by any political or military party.”
“The international community, regional states, and actors in Syria are obliged to use all land and air routes to immediately deliver humanitarian assistance and deploy rescue crews to afflicted areas,” the statement continued.
The Syrian opposition’s Civil Defense operating in northwestern Syria said, in a statement on Friday, that the lack of heavy and effective equipment in search and rescue operations was a major reason for the delay.
The head of the Turkish-backed opposition’s Syrian Interim Government, Abdulrahman Mustafa, refused the entry of aid from the Autonomous Administration-held areas in North and East Syria, claiming that the latter wanted to act as the outlet for assistance provided to northern and western Syria.
The open letter called on the US government to “use its influence to press regional countries and parties in the Syrian conflict to deliver aid without further delays through border crossings in northwestern and eastern Syria.”
It further called on concerned parties in the Syrian conflict and various authorities across the country, as well as the Turkish government, to cease hostilities and allow relief teams and humanitarian aid to reach all affected areas without exception.
The total number of fatalities in Syria, according to official statements by the central government, the Syrian opposition, and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), has reached 3.559 dead and 5.333 injured.
The figures were released on Friday by the Syrian Ministry of Health and the opposition’s Civil Defense in northwest Syria.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday that the death toll in Syria is expected to rise above 5.200.
In Turkey, The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the death toll had risen to 20.665 dead and 80.088 injured across 10 cities in south-central and south-east Turkey.