The first two EU airlift aeroplanes providing humanitarian aid to victims in Syria landed this Sunday in the country's capital, Damascus, following the earthquake of 6 February.
These flights are not the first from European countries in response to the disaster, which has claimed almost 6,000 lives in the war-torn country, however, these are the first of the EU humanitarian bridge to land in Damascus, the capital of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, diplomatically isolated and targeted by European sanctions.
The aeroplanes are loaded with "much-needed relief items" such as tents that are equipped against the winter weather, shelter equipment and heating devices and are part of a series of transports chartered from EU humanitarian stocks in Brindisi (Italy) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates), bound for government and non-government controlled areas.
"Overall, the EU humanitarian air bridge for Syria will deliver 420 tonnes of assistance, including 225 tonnes from the EU's own humanitarian stockpiles worth €1.1 million," the Commission noted in a statement on Sunday. EU humanitarian experts are also present in Syria to ensure the aid reaches the most vulnerable.
Since the earthquake, more than 200 humanitarian aid planes have landed in Syrian government-held areas.
Assistance for Türkiye
The EU has also allocated around €5.7 million for humanitarian assistance to help people affected by the earthquake in Türkiye, where the death toll has surpassed 44,000.
"More than 1,650 rescuers and 110 search dogs were deployed via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to support the search and rescue operations in Türkiye," the Commission noted.
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Five medical teams from Albania, Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain are still operating on the ground and have treated more than 4,000 people so far, while 20 EU Member States have offered shelter items, medical equipment, food and clothes to the country.
"Furthermore, the European Commission and the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU are going to host a Donors' Conference, in coordination with the Turkish authorities, in March in Brussels" to mobilise funds to support victims in both countries.
