Syrian regime keeps border crossings with Turkey open for humanitarian aid for 3 more months

The United Nations announced that the Syrian regime has decided to keep the Ongo Banar (Bab al-Salama) and Goban Be (Al-Rai) border crossings with Turkey open for an additional 3 months in order to allow the entry of humanitarian aid.

This was stated by the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, the Urgent Aid Coordinator, through his Twitter account.

Griffiths explained that the Ongo-Binar and Goban crossings have been, over the past three months, a vital line to help the Syrians affected by the earthquake that occurred on February 6.

He welcomed Damascus’ decision to keep the (crossings) open to help the United Nations for another 3 months, ending on August 13.

For the last 3 months, the Al Ra’ee and Bab Al-Salam crossings have been a vital lifeline to help Syrians affected by the February 6 earthquakes.

The Government of #Syria’s decision to keep them open to UN aid for another 3 months is welcome.

— Martin Griffiths (@UNReliefChief) May 13, 2023

After the double earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, international humanitarian aid entered slowly and in small quantities to the stricken areas in northwestern Syria, which made the United Nations in particular vulnerable to criticism from a population exhausted by years of war.

The Syrian regime agreed to use the crossings under its control for a period of 3 months, in order for the United Nations to bring humanitarian aid across the border into Syria.

More than 4 million people live in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime (northwest), about half of whom are displaced, and 90% of them depend on humanitarian aid.

The United Nations aid enters these areas through only two ways, which are the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, according to a resolution issued by the UN Security Council (2672), and from the areas controlled by the Syrian regime.