Syria’s presidency releases photos of Assad and his wife visiting victims of deadly earthquake
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the University Hospital of Aleppo today, in his first visit to an earthquake-hit region, which is controlled by rebels.
The Syrian presidency released photos of Assad and his wife visiting those injured in the devastating earthquake.
According to the latest official reports, more than 21,600 people have lost their lives since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, of which 18,342 in Turkey and 3,377 in Syria.
Besides, the UN estimates that 23 million people are “potentially exposed, among them five million vulnerable” and fears that a major health crisis will break out.
President Bashar al-Assad and Mrs. Asmaa al-Assad in the University of Aleppo. pic.twitter.com/9tQ8uvlBcx
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) February 10, 2023
Humanitarian organizations are mainly concerned about the spread of the cholera epidemic, which has also occurred in the past in Syria.
“Opportunity to get out of isolation” see analysts
After a deadly earthquake struck Syria and Turkey, Arab countries have restored contacts and sent aid to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who may take advantage of the disaster to break out of diplomatic isolation, analysts say.
Read more: Dramatic and angry appeal of a girl from Syria: “We are human too! Help us!”
“The horrific tragedy that has befallen Syria and Turkey is a clear opportunity for Bashar al-Assad,” who “will try to advance the process of normalizing his regime’s relations with the rest of the Arab world,” said analyst Nick Heras.
But “this humanitarian crisis will not exonerate his regime in the eyes of Western countries,” added the New Lines Institute analyst.
A few hours after Monday’s earthquake, the Syrian president received a phone call from his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who expressed his condolences. This was the first contact between the two men since Sisi came to power in 2014.
Assad has been isolated from many Arab countries since Syria was expelled from the Arab League in 2011, following the start of the civil war.
The United Arab Emirates, the first Gulf country to restore relations with the regime, has already pledged at least $50 million in aid to Syria and sent aid-carrying planes.
The king of Bahrain, for his part, had a telephone conversation with Assad, the first official contact between them in more than ten years.
Lebanon, which maintains a political distance from the conflict in Syria, sent a delegation to Damascus on Wednesday in the first high-level visit since the war began.
“To seize the opportunity”
Humanitarian aid may pave the way “for a diplomatic engagement that will last,” Heras estimated.
But Aaron Lund, a member of Century International, appears more reserved.
“These are formal messages that these leaders address to any other head of state in the event of a major natural disaster,” he commented.
But he estimated that Assad “will try to seize the opportunity”, even more so as the current crisis may facilitate bilateral contacts between Damascus and states that until now have been reluctant to normalize their relations with Syria.
Saudi Arabia, which cut ties with Damascus in 2012 and backed the opposition at the start of the civil war, has promised to send aid, including to areas controlled by Damascus.
A source at the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Rescue Center said aid would be sent directly to Aleppo’s international airport, which Damascus controls, as well as the Syrian Red Crescent. However, he clarified that there are no direct channels of communication with the Assad government.
Qatar, which is accused of funding the armed opposition to Assad and has yet to normalize relations with Syria, has also pledged to send aid.
The earthquake may also speed up the thawing of relations between Damascus and Ankara, a process that has been underway for several months, Lund estimated.
“The two countries now have a common problem that transcends borders and political differences,” he noted.
Help from the West
The Assad government’s efforts to break out of isolation are not limited to the Arab world.
Damascus has accused the West of fueling the country’s civil war aimed at toppling the Assad government, and says the country’s economic crisis is linked to international sanctions imposed on it since 2011.
But on Monday, Syrian UN ambassador Bassam Sabagh announced that his country was ready “to work with all those who wish to help Syria.”
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mokdad said the government was ready to “facilitate” the arrival of aid from international organizations.
The Syrian Red Cross requested the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
On Wednesday, Damascus asked for the EU’s help in efforts to rescue the trapped, as announced by the European Commissioner, Yanes Lenarcic, calling on the member countries to offer it. At the same time, he underlined “the importance of ensuring” that the aid “will not be misappropriated”.
The US indicated on Tuesday that it was working with local non-governmental organizations in Syria to help victims, denying any contact with Damascus.
“The resources will of course go to the Syrian people, not the regime,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
