The President of the Syrian Interim Government, Abdul Rahman Mustafa, held a meeting with a United Nations delegation led by Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator David Carden. The meeting took place at the government headquarters in Kafr Jannah, which is located north of Aleppo. The delegation had arrived through the Bab al-Salama border crossing with Turkey.
During a recent meeting, the Prime Minister provided a detailed presentation on the aftermath of the earthquake disaster and the government’s response from the first moments of its occurrence up until today. Despite the opening of the Bab al-Salama and al-Rahi crossings to receive aid, the United Nations has been slow to provide support to the affected region. Mustafa emphasized the importance of solidarity between all parties, including the UN, relevant institutions, other humanitarian organizations, local councils, and the government team, in order to organize relief efforts as effectively as possible.
Carden expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by the emergency and aid committees within the government. He also praised their role in opening the crossings, facilitating the entry of aid, and ensuring that it reaches the affected areas as quickly as possible.
Eight days after the devastating earthquake, the first aid convoy from the United Nations entered Syria through the Bab al-Salama border crossing with Turkey. This was accompanied by the arrival of a high-level UN delegation, which entered the northwestern regions of Syria via the same border crossing on Wednesday. The delegation had previously entered the country through the Bab al-Hawa crossing and held meetings in the Idleb countryside the day before.
The management of the Bab al-Salama crossing said that the convoy, consisting of 11 trucks, includes relief and medical materials for Syrians affected by the earthquake. This marks the first time since the summer of 2020 that the United Nations has used the Bab al-Salama crossing to deliver aid. The crossing was excluded from the mechanism for delivering aid across the border due to Russian pressure on the UN Security Council, limiting aid delivery to the Bab al-Hawa crossing.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
