“Médecins sans frontières” calls for increased humanitarian assistance to northern Syria
Médecins sans frontières published a statement on Sunday, calling for an urgent increase in humanitarian supplies to northwest Syria.
“In the 10 days following the earthquake, the number of trucks crossing into northwestern Syria was less than its weekly rate in the year 2022,” the organization said in its statement.
The head of the organization’s mission to Syria, Hakeem Khalidi, said: “We emptied our emergency stockpile within three days, but we have not seen any support from abroad, aid comes in small quantities right now.”
In 2022, 7,566 trucks loaded with aid crossed from Turkey into northwestern Syria, an average of 145 trucks per week.
The organization had exhausted its stockpile in Idlib after the earthquake, providing some 12 tons and 4,000 cubic metres of surgical equipment and medicines to Idlib hospitals.
The organization stressed that the priority must be to secure shelter, water and sanitation tools, as well as post-surgical medical supplies.
On Sunday, 14 MSF trucks loaded with 1,269 tents and cold supplies entered for displaced persons and families displaced by the earthquake through the Hamam crossing in the Afrin area of northern Aleppo countryside.
Since the devastating earthquake in north-western Syria and southern Turkey on the 6th of this month, the delivery of aid to areas beyond the control of the Assad regime has caused widespread outrage, especially with delayed arrival of United Nations convoys and weak supplies.
