The Syrian Civil Defense held a press conference in the town of Sarmada on the Turkish border to provide updates on the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey. The director of the Syrian Civil Defense, Raed Al-Saleh, expressed condolences for the loss of life and offered apologies for those they were unable to reach.
He explained that the rescue operations have now shifted to search and recovery of bodies, and that the chances of survival for those trapped under the rubble are rare after 108 hours have passed.
Al-Saleh thanked the Syrian people and organizations for their support and donations, and announced that the number of deaths in Syria has reached 3,384 with thousands of injuries and buildings destroyed. He stressed the need for cooperation and solidarity to help remedy the losses and support the survivors.
In a message to the international community, Al-Saleh called on the United Nations to apologize for their lack of aid and asked for an investigation into why relief aid did not reach northwestern Syria. He acknowledged the support of international partners, including Denmark, Germany, the UK, the US, France, and Qatar.
In the coming periods, Al-Saleh said that the work of the civil defense will focus on recovery and rehabilitation activities, fortifying buildings, supporting medical and relief institutions, and providing treatment and shelter for displaced families. He closed his remarks with a powerful message, saying that the victims’ messages and feelings will remain with the civil defense forever.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
