The delay in the entry of UN and international aid into northwestern Syria has prompted the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) to call for an investigation into the matter. SNHR urged those responsible for the delay to be held accountable for the increased number of deaths following the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and southern Türkiye on February 6.
According to a recent report by the Network, the earthquake claimed the lives of at least 6,319 people. Despite UN and international aid beginning to arrive in the region on February 14, the delay in its arrival had led to local civil organizations having to cope with the disaster’s aftermath on their own.
The report also criticized the UN’s response, stating that it was not commensurate with the disaster’s severity. The monitoring group also pointed out the Assad regime’s looting of UN aid, which could reach up to 90 percent of the total aid. Donor countries were also criticized for their dependence on the United Nations, which they say is slow and bureaucratic, making them partially responsible for the delay in humanitarian aid.
The SNHR called for the urgent deployment of UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams to the region to mobilize international search and rescue teams. Additionally, the group pushed for the establishment of an international support platform to coordinate aid operations in northwest Syria as an alternative option to the United Nations.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
