Ayman Al-Asimi, a member of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), stated that the earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6 exposed the corruption within UN agencies operating in Syria. Al-Asimi emphasized that the presence of individuals from Assad’s inner circle within UN agencies is unacceptable and disregards the sacrifices and tragedy of Syrians who have suffered under the Assad regime.
According to the Financial Times, the earthquake revealed the extent of the Assad regime’s presence within UN organizations. The newspaper highlighted the employment of individuals from Assad’s inner circle in UN relief offices in Damascus, including the daughter of Hussam Luqa, who is on the sanctions list of the US, the EU, and Great Britain for involvement in human rights violations.
The Financial Times indicated that the delay in the delivery of international aid to the liberated areas after the earthquake suggests a systematic behavior by the Assad regime, which uses aid as a means to force the United Nations and relief organizations to make concessions that benefit the regime and its partners.
The SOC has condemned the inaction of the United Nations and its organizations towards the catastrophe that occurred in northwestern Syria, as the United Nations did not provide any assistance in the first week despite the magnitude of the disaster.
The SOC has criticized the lame excuses provided by the UNHCR spokeswoman and called for an investigation into the lack of response from the United Nations and its agencies, as well as its failure to mitigate the damages of the earthquake disaster in the liberated areas and its decision to send relief aid to the criminal regime.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
