Syrians with cancer protest to be allowed to get in Turkey for treatment
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Activists and cancer patients announced on Saturday holding an open sit-in for cancer patients near the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey in the north of Idlib, northwestern Syria, after being denied entry into Turkey for treatment.
The organizers of the sit-in told North Press that they would continue to protest until they were allowed to enter Turkish hospitals for treatment.
They set up four tents for the sit-in in the old yard of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing near the city of Sarmada in the north of Idlib, where more than 600 patients will protest daily.
The Idlib Directorate of Health said that after the Feb. 6 earthquake, cancer patients were not allowed to get into Turkey. They resumed in May by allowing only about 300 patients to enter since then.
Days earlier, activists on social media launched a campaign to pressure Turkey to allow cancer patients to enter.
Multiple sources said that three cancer patients died in 24 hours after months-long suffering from the disease because Turkish authorities refused to let them pass into their territories despite repeated promises.
According to sources, the names of the deceased are Ahmad Kori, Muhammad Alssi Ahmad, and Jalal Abdullah.