Syria
Rescue efforts by the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) underway in Aleppo following the earthquake on February 6, 2023. Photo: White Helmets/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria’s Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, have been working through the night to rescue the hundreds believed to remain trapped under the rubble in northern Syria.
The White Helmets have been at the helm of rescue efforts to save those buried under the rubble in the rebel-held areas of the war-torn country. In an appeal for international aid, the group said it was “racing against time” to save civilians.
The international response to the devastating earthquake has not been equal between Turkey and Syria given the latter’s delicate situation. Regime-controlled Syria is under heavy sanctions and sending aid to the country is rendered difficult as international organizations seek to ensure that aid is diverted away from the hands of the Syrian regime.
Night search and rescue operations in Jandires in the northern countryside of #Aleppo, where hundreds remain trapped under the rubble. We are racing against time. Every minute counts.#Syria #earthquake pic.twitter.com/xeOBrOxuIE
— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) February 8, 2023
Syria has endured over a decade of civil war and rebel-held areas have been subjected to heavy aerial bombardment by Syrian and Russian forces which destroyed the bulk of its infrastructure and hospitals.
Aid to areas outside of regime control has traditionally been delivered from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa crossing but the routes used have been heavily damaged by the earthquake, hampering current efforts.
Damascus requested aid from the EU for the first time on Wednesday, the European Commission said.
“Syria requested the activation of the #EUCivPro Mechanism. We are stepping up our efforts through humanitarian partner organisations that we are funding in #Syria. In no way EU sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime affect the delivery of humanitarian aid.” Cmmsr @JanezLenarcic pic.twitter.com/JXEm5nJBMi
— European External Action Service - EEAS 🇪🇺 (@eu_eeas) February 8, 2023
On Tuesday, Syrian Arab Red Crescent head Khaled Hboubati said during a press conference that they were ready to dispatch relief to all areas of Syria and called for the European Union to lift sanctions on Syria. However, the international community so far held its ground with regards to sanctions.
A destructive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Kahramanmaras in southern Turkey on Monday morning, affecting areas of northern Syria. The border area between Turkey and Syria is one of the most active earthquake zones. Over 15,000 people have been killed, with at least 3,122 of the deaths being from Syria according to figures from the White Helmets and the Syrian health ministry.
President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee said on Wednesday that “24 hours before the catastrophe, over 15 million Syrians were already in need of humanitarian assistance.”
“Across Syria, less than 60% of hospitals and public health care centers were fully functional as a cholera outbreak spread to every governorate in the country,” he added.
Heavy sanctions are in place on the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, with the most recent being slammed through the US’ Caesar Act in 2020.
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