Earthquake in Syria. the UN calls for a ceasefire for relief efforts

The UN intervenes in Syria and calls for an immediate ceasefire to allow relief activities for the population affected by the earthquake. The High Commissioner for Human Rights called for “an immediate ceasefire” in Syria to facilitate aid for victims of the earthquakes that devastated the northwest of the country. Volker Turk “calls for an immediate ceasefire in Syria and full respect for human rights and humanitarian law obligations so that aid reaches everyone,” read one of his tweets. “At this dire time in #Turkey and #Syria, we call for urgent assistance to be provided to all who need it,” he insists.

The civil war that has been tearing Syria apart since 2011 is complicating humanitarian access, especially to rebel-held areas in the northwest of the country. For now, most of the aid destined for this area comes from Turkey and must pass through Bab al-Hawa, the only authorized crossing point between Syria and its Turkish neighbor. The damage caused by the earthquake to the road infrastructure on the Turkish side made it very difficult for supplies to pass through. The United Nations has repeatedly urged President Assad’s regime to open more crossing points to speed up relief efforts for the millions of people affected by the earthquake, many of whom were already living in very precarious conditions before the natural catastrophe.