UK facilitates aid delivery into Syria without breaching sanctions

Recovering bodies of the earthquake's victims in Afrin, northwest Syria - North Press
Recovering bodies of the earthquake's victims in Afrin, northwest Syria - North Press

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The UK issued on Wednesday two licenses to facilitate the work of aid agencies which provide earthquake-related relief efforts in Syria without breaching sanctions targeting the Syrian government.

On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Turkey, claiming more than 41.000 lives and injuring many more, in addition to leveling thousands of buildings.

“These Licenses will strengthen the timely and effective delivery of relief efforts by removing the need for individual license applications,” the UK government said.

The government clarified that these procedures do not breach sanctions against the Syrian government. “The UK remains committed to holding the Assad regime accountable, including through comprehensive sanctions regulations, for its heinous crimes against the Syrian people.”

The new licenses authorizes “activities which would have otherwise been prohibited.”

Both licenses are valid for six months.

The move follows a similar one by the US which, on Friday, eased sanctions on Syria for a period of six months to allow the flow of humanitarian assistance into the war-torn country. The US license authorizes all transactions related to earthquake-related relief efforts.