An Immediate International Intervention is Needed to Provide Humanitarian Relief to the Affected Areas in Northwest Syria

Statement by Syrian and Non-Syrian Organizations and Groups on the

Current Situation in Northwest Syria following the Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes

As more than 96 hours have passed since the initial earthquake hit both Türkiye and Syria, the hope of rescuing more lives dwindles drastically, especially since international rescue teams have not been able to access Northwest Syria despite the time sensitivity to do search and rescue operations to find any survivors under the rubble.

Local teams in Northwest Syria are literally standing alone responding to this catastrophe. Usually, humanitarian organizations and coalitions based in southern Türkiye would provide all the necessary support such as supply lines, logistics, program management, and operations. As a result of the earthquakes, the coordination efforts led by Türkiyebased bodies have been severely affected, leading to a major disruption of the humanitarian mechanisms. A tragically significant number of humanitarian workers from these supporting organizations and coalitions have lost their lives, while the ones who survived are working tirelessly in dire conditions either from shelters or inside their vehicles, hoping their voices might be heard.

A catastrophe of such magnitude requires a concerted international effort. The preliminary statistics regarding Northwest Syria, published at the time of writing, are disastrous: the death toll approaches 2,030 and is expected to increase as hours go by. Over 11,000 injured people were rescued and admitted to the overstretched hospitals. More than 2,000 residential buildings were destroyed and 5,100 buildings have been partially damaged, leaving 11,000 families homeless across the northern region in Syria.

Humanitarian workers and rescue teams in Northwest Syria are currently working hard, in extremely difficult conditions, amid severe shortages of capacities and equipment, and  limited capacity of the health sector. 

While we highly appreciate the deployment of international efforts and support in response to the mounting humanitarian needs in southern Türkiye, as well as the current delivery of international rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Damascus, the unaddressed extensive damage in Northwest Syria is absolutely devastating. Local rescue teams in Northwest Syria are still operating, on their own until this very moment, using their limited local capacities and resources without any immediate international rescue teams or aid convoys needed to properly respond in over 56 areas affected by the disaster. Bureaucratic and political obstacles delay the international response to the tragic situation in Northwest Syria, costing many innocent lives that could otherwise be saved.

The undersigned organizations urge the following:

●      To the UN Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres, and the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths:

We urge the United Nations Secretariat to address a direct mandate to all international mechanisms and agencies, to support overcoming the logistical difficulties and enable the use of all viable border crossings to reach the affected population in Northwest Syria, specifically by:

1.    Directing the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) for prompt intervention across borders to Northwest Syria, and directing all available international teams to access along with their equipment to support civil defense teams in search and rescue efforts for those who are still trapped under the rubble waiting to be found and rescued;

2.    Directing the United Nations Disaster Assessment Coordination

Mechanism (UNDAC) to immediately intervene across the border from Türkiye to all affected sites in Northwest Syria, to coordinate the response efforts proportionally to the scale of the emergency requirements;

3.    Allocating the appropriate amount of funds from the UN Central

Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF) to the response in Northwest

Syria, ensuring a maximum flexibility in light of the critical situation of the cross-border response to Northwest Syria, and allotting all the required resources to Syrian humanitarian organizations operating in Northwest Syria;

4.    Directing all UN agencies and their relief programs to respond with the full necessary flexibility in light of the time-sensitive emergency situation, overcoming logistical and bureaucratic hurdles and using all the crossing points in southern Türkiye towards the Syrian lands.

●      To the European Union:

Including Northwest Syria as part of the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism that has been activated in Syria, especially vis-à-vis the entry of emergency supplies, equipment and rescue teams across borders to support local rescue teams in Northwestern Syria.

●      To the United States of America:

Using all the US logistical capabilities in the Middle East, in coordination with neighboring countries, to transfer aid to their local warehouses and provide all the needed assistance regarding logistical support to all humanitarian agencies to overcome constraints in accessing Northwest Syria.

●      To the Turkish authorities:

Working on repairing and reopening the damaged roads leading to the Syrian crossings, and providing all facilitations for immediate access of the international rescue teams, medical teams and all the equipment necessary to carry local search and rescue operations in Northwest Syria.

●      To all humanitarian funding mechanisms, donors and international partners:

Providing substantial financial injections specifically to the earthquake response, exceeding the previously allocated amounts to the programs specified within the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan for the year 2023, commensurating with the scale of the humanitarian response to the earthquake, and addressing the medium and long-term consequences of the multiple earthquakes, especially visà-vis housing rehabilitation, in order to alleviate the foreseeable exacerbation of the already raging shelter problems in Northwest Syria.

The Co-ordinations bodies/Networks/Alliances Signed

1. American Relief Coalition for Syria 

2. Asociación Coordinadora Comunitaria de Servicios para la Salud, A.C.C.S.S.

3. Caesar Families Association

4. CRGR Centro América

5. CSOs' Initiative for Localisation and Optimization of response in Yemen 

6. DSV-  UOSSM

7. Gaza Urban Agriculture  Platform( GUPAP)

8. Idleb Health Directorate 

9. National Alliance of Humanitarian Actors Bangladesh (NAHAB)

10. National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal ((NSET)

11. Nigeria Network of NGOs

12. Palestinian Farmers Union

13. Palestinian NGOs Network 

14. Syrian Alliance for Volunteer Teams

15. Syrian European Forum 

16. Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)

17. Syrian Network in Denamrk 

18. Syrian Networks League - SNL 

19. The Syrian Charities and Associations Network of the UK (SCAN UK)

20. Union of German Syrian Associations

21. Voices For Displaced Syrians Forum

22. Women and Child Protection Network

23. Women Protection Network

24. YDN-Yemeni Development Network for NGOs

25. Young Global Citizens Assembly e.V.

26. YWCA- Palestine

Humanitarian and Civil Society Organizations

27. AblAblam Community Committee

28. ABS Development Organization for Woman and Child

29. Access Center for Human Rights - ACHR

30. Adam Association for the Development of the Family & Society

31. Advance Foundation for Development 

32. AFKAR Organization for Educational and Cultural Development 

33. African Community Society

34. Alameen for Humanitarian Support 

35. Alataa Charitable Society 

36. Albonian Almarsos Humanitarian Organization

37. A-Dameer Association for Human Rights

38. Alghad Charity

39. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society

40. Alseeraj Sweden

41. Al-Sham Humanitarian Foundation

42. Alzahraa Society 

43. Amal Healing and Advocacy Center

44. Amwaj Association for Community Development and Improvement

45. And Hope Remains 

46. ANURDO

47. Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ)

48. Asociación Para la Educación y el Desarrollo 

49. Assistance Mission for Africa

50. ATAA Humanitarian Relief Association

51. Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children 

52. Bait Lahia Youth Association Center 

53. Baitona for Community Development

54. Barokupot Ganochetona Foundation-BGF 

55. Basamat for Development

56. Basma Society For Culture & Arts

57. Basmeh & Zeitooneh

58. Bassmet Hayat Association

59. Baytna

60. Big Heart 

61. BINAA Organization for Development 

62. Bisan Center for Research and Development 

63. Bonyan for Youth and Development 

64. Bousla for Development & Innovation 

65. COAR

66. Community Media Center 

67. Culture  Free Thought Organization 

68. CWLRCP

69. Darya Organization

70. Dawlaty

71. Defence for Children International

72. Demokratik Kadın Örgütü

73. Deutsch Syrischer Verein DSV

74. Dhaka Ahsania Mission 

75. Doctors Worldwide

76. Dozana

77. Dr. Haider Abdel Shafi Center

78. EIPISA 

79. Elaf for Reilaf and Development 

80. Equity and Empowerment 

81. Eradah Organization to Combat Torture and Forced Disappearance  

82. EvE Association

83. FAYA Nepal

84. FECODESA 

85. Field Medical Foundation

86. Finjan 

87. FUDEP Fomento del desarrollo Popular

88. Fundación Halü Bienestar Humano

89. Fundación Sahed

90. Future Association For Development And Environment

91. Future Resilience and Development Foundation (FRAD)

92. Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agricultural Platform (GUPAP) (GUPAP)

93. Ghiras Al-Nahda

94. Global Organization for Civil Society Advancement

95. Green Cranks Team

96. Greenmind Initiative for Agriculture and Sustainable Environment

97. Greenspring Development Initiative

98. Hand in Hand for Aid & Development - HIHFAD

99. Hathi Hayati Volunteering Group 

100. Health And Nutrition Development Society-HANDS

101.  Hope Revival Organization 

102. Horan Foundation

103. Hospitals Advocacy Campaign

104. Human Access-Yemen

105. Humanista Volunteer Team

106. Humanitarian Development Aid Org.-HUDA

107. Humanitarian Relief and Development Council(HRDC)

108. Humanitrian Care Charity 

109. Hurras Network 

110. I Am For My Country Foundation

111. Ihsan Relief and Development

112. Impact civil Society Research and Development

113. Independent 

114. Indonesian Development-Humanitarian Alliance

115. INSAN Association Defending Human Rights 

116. Insan Charity Organization

117. International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation (IBC)

118. International Humanitarian Relief (IHR)

119. International Humanitarian Relief - IHR

120. Jameiat Bashir Alsalam Lileamal Alansanii

121.  Jana Watan

122. Jewels Trust Fund 

123.  JOURNALISTS RIGHTS ADVOCATING ASSOCIATION

124. Jumpstart Refugee Talent

125. Justice & Sustainable Development

126. Justice Paths

127. Khadija Foundation for Development

128. Lamsat ward

129. Lawyers and doctors for Human Rights LDHR

130. Lifeline Humanitarian Association

131. Local Development and Small-Projects Support (LDSPS)

132. MAAN ORG.

133. Maram Foundation for Relief and Development

134. Mattar

135. MC

136. MedGlobal 

137. Media

138. Medical Mercy Foundation 

139. Mehad

140. Nabd Alhayat Charitable Society

141. Nabd Development and Evolution Organization(NDEO)

142. Nabni

143. Nahda Makers Organization 

144. Nasaem Khair Organization (NKO)

145. Neda'a foundation for development 

146. New Followership New Africa Initiative

147. Nexus Action

148. NHS Salford Royal hospital

149. Nima Relief 

150. Olive Branch

151.  One Heart

152. Organization ZOOM IN

153. Palestinian Al Nakheel Association for Progress and Development 

154. PARC

155. PCROD

156. Peace and Justice for Syria 

157. Physicians Across Continents PAC

158. Progress Organization for Development

159. Public Aid Society

160. Qurantaj

161. Rahma World Wide

162. Relief Experts Association (UDER)

163. Roya Assosiation For Development Abilities 

164. Sadad Humanitarian Organization 

165. Safa Development Assessment 

166. Salsabil Charity Association

167.  SAMS

168. Sanabel Organization/ Başaklar Derneği

169. Science and Cultural Center 

170. Seraj Al-Aqsa Voluntary Team 

171. Shuaa Developmental Foundation

172. SKT Organization 

173. Social Development International SDI

174.  Society of Women Graduates in Gaza Strip

175. Souriyat Across Borders (SAB)

176. Space of Hope Organization 

177. Space Of Peace 

178. SRD

179. Sroor 

180. SSRD

181. Syria Students Body

182. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression 

183. Syrian Civil Defense (The White Helmets)  

184. Syrian Expatriates Medical Assosiation - SEMA

185. Syrian Forum

186. Syrian Network in Denmark 

187. Syrian Sweden Association

188. Syrian Woman Association

189.  Syrian Women’s Network 

190. Taalufhumaneteam 

191. Tamdeen Youth Foundation

192. The Day After

193. The National Children's Cancer Society

194. The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters SADA 

195. The Productive Youths Development Initiative 

196. The Syria Campaign

197. The Syrian Legal Development Programme -SLDP

198. The Female Survivors Union

199. Tomorrow Foundation for Sustainable Development & Humanitarian Relief

200. Uluslararası Arap Akademisyenleri Derneği

201. VEER Development Organization 

202. Violet Organization for Relief and Development 

203. Volunteer Future Team 

204. Volunteers Without Borders in Denmark

205. Waer Waters Charity Foundation

206. Watan Foundation 

207. Wedad

208. Welfare Organization for Humanitarian Work

209. WHOSD

210. WINGS Relief International 

211. Woman Support Association

212. Woman Support Association

213. Women Now for Development

214. Women of Inestimable Values Foundation

215. Women's Board ECS

216. World Vision International

217. Zad Aljnna

218. ZENOBIA ORG

219. Zeyd Bin Sabit