The Syrian authorities has asked European humanitarian help to assist its seek and rescue efforts two days after a devastating earthquake, the European Commission showed on Wednesday.
“Earlier today, this morning, we also received a request from the government of Syria to the EU for assistance through the Civil Protection Mechanism. We shared this request with EU member states and we are encouraging them to contribute the in-kind assistance as requested,” Commissioner for disaster control Janez Lenarčič instructed newshounds.
The request from the Syrian authorities “contains a long list of items”, he added corresponding to help of their seek and rescue efforts, clinical pieces together with drugs, in addition to meals merchandise and “typical aid emergency items”.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck in a while after 04:00 AM native time on Monday close to the western Turkish town of Gaziantep, has to this point claimed the lives of over 9,500 other people in Turkey and Syria.
Turkey, which is a part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, asked help on Monday morning with assist from European companions, together with a couple of seek and rescue groups, arriving within the nation at the similar day.
Any nation international can turn on the EU Civil Protection Mechanism if their nationwide emergency services and products are crushed via a crisis however the requests have historically been made via governments.
Opposition-held territories factor
However, the earthquake struck a space in Syria that has territories managed via the federal government and a few held via quite a lot of teams opposing Damascus. The Syrian demise toll lately stands at over 2,600 other people: 1,200 in government-controlled spaces and 1,400 in opposition-held territories.
The EU Commission first of all mentioned it was once in contact with humanitarian organisations at the flooring and that it was once having a look at doubtlessly expanding its monetary help to those NGOs in reaction.
Lenarčič showed this on Wednesday, telling newshounds that the Commission could also be “working on topping up our financial support, some of that was already approved for affected areas in Syria through our humanitarian partners.”
He additionally “categorically” rejected accusations that EU sanctions imposed at the Syrian regime are hindering humanitarian efforts.
These sanctions — first imposed in 2011 according to the brutal repression via the regime of Bashar al-Assad of pro-democracy protests as a part of the broader Arab Spring — goal the regime and its supporters in addition to sectors of the economic system they depend on.
These come with a ban at the export of apparatus that could be used for interior repression and generation meant for the tracking and interception of the Internet and phone communications, a ban at the import of Syrian oil and petroleum merchandise, and a ban at the business of products belonging to Syria’s cultural heritage and a prohibition to export luxurious items to Syria. EU folks an entities also are banned from buying and selling in public bonds to or from the Syrian authorities.
Assistance on its manner ‘very quickly’
Lenarčič mentioned that it is very important be certain the help despatched to Syria via EU member states “goes to people who need it, that it is not diverted.”
“This is something that we will watch,” he mentioned.
As of Wednesday, 23 nations collaborating within the EU Civil Protection mechanism have introduced a complete of 36 seek and clinical groups to Turkey, comprising a complete of one,500 workforce and 100 rescue canine.
Turkey installed any other request on Wednesday morning, the Commissioner mentioned, for refuge pieces together with winterised tents, blankets, and warmers.
“This request is also now being acted upon. The offers are coming. And this assistance will also be on its way very soon,” he added.
