The Syrian Red Crescent on Tuesday (February 7th) called on the European Union (EU) to lift sanctions against Damascus in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which killed more than 1,600 people in the country.
"
I call on all EU countries to lift economic sanctions against Syria
", because "
it is time, after this earthquake
", declared Mr. Khaled Haboubati, director of the Syrian Red Crescent during a press conference in Damascus.
Syria under international sanctions
The Red Crescent, which operates in government areas, also called on "
the United States Agency for Development (USAID) to provide assistance to the Syrian people
".
President's Syria Syria: President Bashar al-Assad re-elected with 95.1% of the vote has been under international sanctions since the start of the war in 2011, which have considerably reduced this country's economic exchanges with the rest of the world. world.
Damascus argues that the economic crisis is linked to sanctions that have plagued the country since the conflict sparked by the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests before plunging Syria into a devastating war.
Read alsoEarthquake in Turkey and Syria: why the earth is shaking so hard in the region
Mr. Haboubati's appeal echoes that launched the day before by the head of Syrian diplomacy Faisal Moqdad, the latter affirming that the Damascus regime is ready to "
facilitate all the (procedures) necessary for international organizations so that they provide humanitarian aid
”.
Despite the sanctions, regions under government control receive international aid via UN agencies, often based in Damascus.
According to Mr. Haboubati, the Syrian Red Crescent has mobilized 3,000 volunteer rescuers in the disaster areas after the earthquake that hit southern neighboring Turkey on Monday.
11 years of war
At least 1,622 people were killed and more than 3,600 others injured Monday in Syria in the earthquake, following the collapse of thousands of homes, announced the official media and rescuers.
More than 11 years of war have exhausted the country's ability to deal with similar disasters, with fighting also limiting the ability of relief workers to operate in several parts of the country.
The Syrian conflict has killed nearly half a million people and forced millions more to flee, including to Turkey.
At the end of January, the UN warned of "
a new mass emigration
", the number of Syrians suffering from hunger having reached a new record.
