Syria to allow cross-border aid into areas outside government control
Delivering assistance to Syria after the deadly earthquakes is complicated by the government's diplomatic isolation and tight control over aid access.
The Syrian government said Friday that it will allow cross-border aid into rebel-held territory.
Syria’s official SANA News Agency said the Council of Ministers made the decision in consultation with Foreign Minister Hussein Arnous. They specifically agreed to allow cross-border aid into government territory as well as “areas outside the control of the state,” according to a tweet from SANA.
SANA also reported that United Nations organizations, the Syrian Red Crescent and the International Red Cross would be involved in delivering the aid.
Why it matters: Delivering aid to earthquake-stricken Syria is somewhat complex. The Syrian government controls most of the country but much of northern Syria, where the earthquake hit the hardest, is controlled by various rebel groups. Kurdish-led forces also control much of the northeast.
