Earth Science News
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
UN must keep moving quake aid to Syria after deadline: Amnesty
UN must keep moving quake aid to Syria after deadline: Amnesty
by AFP Staff Writers
Beirut (AFP) May 12, 2023

Amnesty International called on the United Nations Friday to keep delivering crucial aid to quake-stricken Syrians via two crossings into rebel-held areas even if authorisation from Damascus expires.

On February 6, a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, killing more than 55,000 people across both countries.

The UN chief said on February 13 that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had agreed to open the Bab al-Salama and Al-Rai crossings from Turkey to allow aid to enter for an initial period of three months.

Damascus has yet to announce an extension of the authorisation.

The UN "must continue to deliver aid" through those two crossings after May 13 "regardless of whether the government renews" its consent, Amnesty said in a statement.

Before the disaster, almost all desperately needed humanitarian aid for the more than four million people living in rebel-controlled areas of Syria was being delivered from Turkey through one conduit -- the Bab al-Hawa crossing.

The number of UN-approved crossings into Syria had shrunk from four in 2014, after years of pressure from government allies China and Russia at the UN Security Council.

"The lives of more than four million people are at stake and international law is clear that their rights must be paramount," Amnesty's Sherine Tadros said in the statement.

"The UN should take a clear stand against the cruel political machinations that have hampered its humanitarian operations in northern Syria for several years," Tadros added.

Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said discussions with the Syrian government had been "constructive".

"We have requested an extension of the special measures... to continue facilitating the humanitarian response to all affected areas," she told AFP.

Turkish-backed rebels operate the Bab al-Salama and Al-Rai crossings in Aleppo province, while the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham controls Bab al-Hawa in the Idlib region.

The UN estimated earlier this week that Syria needs almost $15 billion to recover from the quake, and put the total cost of damage and losses at almost $9 billion.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Canada, Latvia to provide training to Ukrainian officers
Ottawa (AFP) May 10, 2023
Canada and Latvia will jointly provide combat leadership training to Ukrainian junior officers starting as early as next week, their defense minister announced Wednesday. The training, which will take place in Latvia, builds on Canadian military deployments and training throughout Britain and Europe to bolster NATO defenses and support Ukraine. "Today I can announce that Canada and Latvia will jointly train Ukrainian soldiers on Latvian soil, beginning as early as May 15," Defense Minister Anita ... read more

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Canada, Latvia to provide training to Ukrainian officers

China calls on Australia to boost ship search efforts

UN must keep moving quake aid to Syria after deadline: Amnesty

Colombian soldiers hunt for children who survived air crash

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Terran Orbital PTD-3 enables 200Gbits space-to-ground optical link

Developing an ultraprotective sunscreen from our own melanin

AWI researchers demonstrate high natural radioactivity of manganese nodules

'There was a city': VR tour peers into Hiroshima's past

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
New non-toxic powder uses sunlight to quickly disinfect contaminated drinking water

A better way to study ocean currents

'Friends to all': US-China influence race a boon for Pacific islands

Patagonia's underwater defense against climate change

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Antarctica's heart of ice has skipped a beat

Why Antarctic ice shelves are losing their mass and how it leads to global sea level rise

Past climate change to blame for Antarctica's giant underwater landslides

Warm Ice Age changed climate cycles

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
The Noah's Ark for plants beneath the English countryside

Gaza beekeeper tends hives by restive border

UConn researcher explores impact of recreational homes on agricultural land use

Automated agricultural machinery requires new approaches to ensuring safety

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
New Caledonia lifts tsunami warning after 7.7-magnitude quake

Cyclone Mocha hits Myanmar, Bangladesh

Cyclone Mocha death toll rises to 81 in Myanmar

More villages evacuated as Italy counts cost of deadly floods

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
33 civilians killed in Burkina Faso 'terrorist' attack

Blasts rock Khartoum as warring sides affirm humanitarian pledge

Sudan warring sides make humanitarian pledge without truce

Algeria says army officer killed in clash with Islamists

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Evidence of Ice Age human migrations from China to the Americas and Japan

Scientists reveal more inclusive update to human genome

Archaeologists map hidden NT landscape where first Australians lived more than 60,000 years ago

India's new mums live in hope and fear for next generation

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.