Aid from NE Syria Heads to Quake-Affected Areas
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced on Monday that it facilitated the passage of trucks from Doctors Without Borders, an NGO, carrying relief aid into areas affected by the earthquake that hit Syria.
The international NGO sent a convoy loaded with aid to the northwest of the country, passing through the Umm Jloud crossing in Manbij, the AANES said.
The truck, which carries medicine and relief aid, is the first to be let through the border crossing from AANES-held Syria by the Turkish-backed opposition.
Hours later, the AANES announced having facilitated the passage of more than 50 trucks carrying relief aid to disaster zones in northwestern Syria.
The trucks contain relief aid gathered by the residents of Manbij and tribes in northeast Syria, according to the AANES.
A day before, the AANES announced that it would open all its crossings and guarantee the passage of all humanitarian aid convoys headed to areas impacted by the earthquake.
Since Feb. 8, the AANES has attempted to deliver aid to earthquake-afflicted areas in northwest Syria. Its aid convoys are still stranded at the Umm Jloud crossing, between the AANES and Turkish-backed opposition factions, and at the al-Tayha crossing, between the AANES and the Syrian government.
On Feb. 9, the Co-chair of the AANES, Abd Hamed al-Mehbash, said that obstructions were put in place by other parties for the delivery of aid by the AANES to areas hit by the earthquake.
At dawn on Feb. 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Turkey, killing thousands and injuring many more. The earthquake also caused immense destruction of buildings, trapping thousands under the rubble.