Despite all forms of sufferings caused by the devastating quake, Syria is being neglected by the international community as pledges of emergency aid have poured in for Turkey.
Hours after the massive quake rocked on Monday, dozens of countries rushed to announce they were dispatching aid to Turkey, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announcing that offers of aid to Ankara had come from 45 countries across the world.
By Tuesday afternoon, the number of people killed in Turkey exceeded 3,500, while it surpassed 1,600 in neighboring Syria.
Aid Mobilized for Turkey
The EU said it had mobilized its emergency coordination center and rescue teams in the Netherlands and Romania.
The bloc’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said ten urban search and rescue teams “have been quickly mobilized” from Bulgaria, Croatia, [the Czech Republic], France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland [and] Romania to support the first responders on the ground. Italy and Hungary have offered their rescue teams to Turkey as well.”
Other countries offering help included Ukraine and France, whose President Emmanuel Macron said he was dispatching a 139 strong civilian rescue team. The US announced it was sending two search and rescue teams each 79 strong. Soldiers from Azerbaijan were the first to arrive in Turkey to offer practical support sending 400 fully equipped soldiers. Russia said it had emergency rescue Ilyushin-76 planes on standby to fly to the two countries.
The UK said it was sending 76 search and rescue specialists, four dogs and equipment to arrive in Turkey on Monday evening.
Germany’s Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) announced it was preparing to deliver emergency generators, tents and blankets to Turkey. Japan, Greece, Egypt, Qatar, the UAE and even the Zionist entity have also offered aid to Turkey.
Syria Pleas Fell on Deaf Ears
On the other hand, many less announcements of aid were made for Syria, except from Iran, Iraq, China, Russia, Lebanon and Algeria.
The video below shows aid sent by Iran to Syria via Iraqi borders.
The country which has been already strained by eleven years of foreign-backed war, appealed for international aid to help face the devastating earthquake.
However, that appeal went nearly unnoticed as Syria remains under heavy punitive US sanctions aimed at isolating Damascus.
Calls for Lifting Sanctions
On Monday, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) advocacy group, called for the “immediate” lifting of US sanctions to facilitate the delivery of aid to Syria.
“We commend and are thankful to existing organizations on the ground providing immediate humanitarian aid and relief to those in Syria, Turkey, and across the region. The reality is more aid and relief are needed, and time is of the essence,” ADC executive director Abed Ayoub said in a statement.
For its part, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) made a similar call, warning that the current blockade is restricting the efforts to provide the Syrian people with the basic needs to respond to the devastating earthquake that struck the country.
“We urge the immediate lifting of sanctions on Syria and allowing access to all materials, so sanctions may not turn into a crime against humanity,” said the attendees of the Council in a statement.
In a just world, one expects that countries would put their rivalries aside and offer indiscriminate aid to the quake-hit countries. However, in a world overwhelmed with oppression, Syria is unseen and the aid is blocked by number one tyrant state: the US.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
