Three border gates opened for UN to deliver aid to earthquake-stricken Syria
A spokesman for the UN Secretary-General said on Monday that Syria's three border crossings were fully operational for the United Nations to deliver aid to the earthquake-stricken country.
After the two major earthquakes that took place in Türkiye on February 6, serious damage occurred in Syria as well. After the earthquake, the UN provided aid to Syria as well as to Türkiye.
Stephanie Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, announced on Monday that 10 trucks carrying shelter and other aid items from the International Organization for Migration crossed through the al-Ra'ee border crossing into northern Aleppo.
This was the first UN convoy to cross the border since Syria accepted aid. The number of border gates that became fully operational after the convoy reached three.,
Since February 9, the UN has dispatched 227 trucks to non-government held areas in north-west Syria. Preparations are also underway to send more trucks through all three border crossings.
“Aid in the impacted areas remains a top priority, as thousands of people remain in collective shelters across Latakia, Homs, Hama and Aleppo,” Dujarric said.
“The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Development Program and UN Habitat are helping to conduct assessments of structural damage to buildings."
“These assessments will help determine whether families can return to homes that are deemed safe.”
The UN is currently looking into longer-term options for families who cannot return to their homes due to damaged structures, and food and other aid are being distributed to families, including those who returned to their homes after the quake.
“Funding remains essential for the wider earthquake response. As of today, the Syria Flash Appeal is 17 percent funded, with $68.5 million received towards the $329.1 million plan,” she explained.
The United Nations, along with its partners, continues to scale up operations in other parts of Syria and Türkiye to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake.
“We along with our partners are delivering food, tents, blankets and other supplies, with medical supplies and medical personnel being dispatched to impacted areas,” the spokesperson said.
“UNICEF has reached nearly 218,000 people including over 132,000 children with kits and also with winter clothes, electric heaters, jerry cans and other items.”
Meanwhile, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has said that among the survivors of the devastating natural, around 356,000 pregnant women urgently need access to reproductive health services.
(Al Arabiya)
