Syrian government obstructs aid delivery – AANES official
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – An official from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) said on Saturday that the Syrian government placed many obstacles and issued many excuses in order to prevent aid enter disaster zones.
Farouq al-Mashi, Co-chair of the AANES Social Affairs and Labor Board, said, “Following the earthquake, people in the AANES-controlled areas provided a lot of aid to the disaster zones, be it in government- or in opposition-held areas.”
On Tuesday, the AANES received an aid convoy, meant for earthquake-affected people, from residents of Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
He said that the convoy has been stuck for three days at al-Tayha crossing, which separates government areas from those of the AANES, awaiting Damascus’ approval to cross.
He pointed out that they, through an official statement, “appealed to all concerned parties to let aid reach those affected by the earthquake, because they are in dire need of it, but the Damascus government has placed many obstacles to its entry.”
The AANES, since the first day of the earthquake disaster that struck Syria, “facilitated the delivery of assistance to those affected by the earthquake, and put all political disputes aside,” he said.
Al-Mashi appealed to the international community and humanitarian organizations to facilitate the entry of aid into the quake-stricken areas, noting that all crossings held by the AANES are open for aid delivery.