Gaziantep, Türkiye, February 13, 2023 — One week on from the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Türkiye, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is warning of further tragedy for those that have survived if they are unable to access life-saving humanitarian assistance quickly. As the UN Security Council meets to discuss the situation today, IRC calls for urgent action to expand humanitarian access to communities in northwest Syria via all viable routes.
Since the earthquake struck one week ago, the IRC has been mobilizing swiftly to support our staff, our partners and the communities where we work. The northwest of Syria, one of the areas worst affected by the earthquake, was already home to nearly 3 million internally displaced persons. Many of whom have been displaced over a dozen times during the 12-year conflict. Now, there are reports that tens of thousands more have become newly displaced in the last week as they seek shelter and safety. Survivors are in desperate need of health care; shelter and non-food items, including warm clothes, emergency food and access to clean drinking water.
They can only be reached at the scale needed via assistance delivered across the Syria-Türkiye border. In the last few days, more than 50 UN convoys have brought much needed aid across the border via Bab Al Hawa crossing. But with only this one crossing authorized for UN use by the UN Security Council there is a very real risk that aid will not be able to get to those most in need at the scale and pace required.
All viable avenues to reach those affected by the earthquake must be utilized and expanded. The UN Security Council should urgently seek to expand cross-border access to northwest Syria through all necessary channels, including by re-authorizing previous crossings like Bab Al Salam that was closed to UN access in July 2020.
David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, stated:
“The situation on the ground in the northwest of Syria is a crisis within a crisis. Needs were already at record levels before the earthquake, driven by ongoing conflict, a cholera outbreak, mass displacement and bitterly cold temperatures. Without an urgent scale up in assistance we will see a secondary disaster that will exacerbate the impact of the worst earthquake in the region in decades exponentially. The earthquake has tragically killed almost 35,000 people. But now hundreds of thousands are in danger from ill health, disease, lack of food and other critical support.
“We are concerned about critically low levels of medical supplies, as well as damage to hospitals and health care facilities. Survivors also urgently need clean water, a roof over their heads, and heating supplies to deal with the freezing temperatures. We need to see life-saving humanitarian aid entering Syria at the scale and pace to meet the needs we are witnessing on the ground. This means the international community urgently ramping up their support and ensuring it reaches NGOs on the front lines.
“Syrians in the northwest have too long been left behind, and assistance reaching them was already insufficient to mitigate the toll of over a decade of war. As the Secretary-General has made clear, cross-line deliveries are not a substitute for the massive scale of the cross-border operation, the UN Security Council has a critical role to play in expanding cross-border access - secure and predictable assistance should be non-negotiable.They must urgently convene to authorize additional cross-border channels of access for UN-led humanitarian aid.”
Notes to editors:
- The UN’s cross-border operation has provided direct, sustainable and timely access to those in need in the northwest since 2014. Before the earthquake 6 out of every 10 people in need in the northwest of the country received some form of assistance via this modality. Despite this, the UN Security Council has voted to restrict cross-border access leaving one remaining channel of assistance at Bab al Hawa crossing. While much needed aid is currently moving through this crossing the catastrophic situation we are facing today will put an increased strain on an already over-stretched system.
- The IRC has been working in Syria since 2012. In response to the earthquake emergency, the IRC is launching an integrated response to affected populations in both Syria and Türkiye. This will include the provision of immediate cash, basic items such as household kits, dignity kits for women and girls and hygiene supplies. The IRC through its partners will support essential health services in earthquake-affected areas, and set up safe spaces for women and children affected.
For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact Elias Abu Ata on [email protected] and Hope Arcuri on [email protected]