On Wednesday, February 15th, the second batch of popular humanitarian aid — provided by local actors in the eastern governorates known as “Al-Fazaa Al-Deiriya” — arrived. At the same time, observers responded to the arrival of convoys to disaster-stricken areas in northern Syria.
Social media users circulated videos showing the arrival of the relief convoys to the stricken Afrin area, specifically the devastated town of Jindires. The videos came amid great interaction with the popular reaction and the spread of videos showing the state of sympathy and cohesion during the reception of the people in the liberated areas for those leading the disaster response.
The Syrian Interim Government estimated that 80 relief trucks had entered the area, loaded with aid containing “various materials”, which had been sent by the tribes of the eastern region via the Hamran crossing. The tribes topped the list of parties that responded to the earthquake disaster, including the United Nations, amid the continued collection and sending of donations by tribal activities for the benefit of the afflicted in northern Syria.
Several parties praised the response of the Syrian tribes to the afflicted in northern Syria. The statement of the tribes of Idleb in northwestern Syria concerning the convoy “Fazaa Deir-ez-Zor” said that “this disaster will go down in history,” according to a description of the statement.
Local groups in eastern Syria continue to collect financial and in-kind donations for those affected under several campaigns. These campaigns include “One Body”, “Sawaed al-Khair”, “Here is Syria”, “Our Cover is One”, “Fazaa Al-Furat” and others. The campaigns aim to collect financial donations and clothes for the affected people in northern Syria.
A popular donation campaign organized by the people in the eastern regions for the benefit of those affected by the devastating earthquake in northern Syria raised a great moral and emotional atmosphere among northern residents, as the international community failed to respond adequately to the earthquake.
Observers indicated that these local relief convoys have greatly touched the hearts of people in the affected areas. Those same people expressed their discontent with the United Nations for not assuming an effective role to respond to those affected by the earthquake.
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.