Interview: Lack of medical, rescue equipment limits relief efforts in quake-hit Syria: IFRC official

BEIRUT, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Lack of needed medical and rescue equipment has limited the capabilities of the Syrian Red Crescent in its relief efforts in the earthquake-stricken areas of the country, Mey al-Sayegh, spokeswoman of the Beirut-based regional office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

"The Syrian Red Crescent does not have sufficient equipment because of a devastating war in the country since 2011," said al-Sayegh.

The current freezing weather in Syria and Türkiye constitutes another serious obstacle to relief efforts since the major earthquakes struck the two countries on Feb. 6, she warned.

IFRC allocated 1 million Swiss francs (1.09 million U.S. dollars) to the Syrian Red Crescent and 2 million Swiss francs to the Turkish Red Crescent immediately after the earthquakes to enable their urgent assistance in rescuing and providing relief, medical treatment and shelter for survivors, according to the IFRC spokeswoman.

The latest figures show the death toll of the twin earthquakes measuring 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude has climbed to 31,643 in Türkiye and around 5,300 in Syria.

Commenting on the current U.S. sanctions on Syria, al-Sayegh said the sanctions impede and delay the delivery of humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Syria.

"We do not interfere in politics. What we care about is not neglecting the affected people in dire need of support and assistance, especially in natural disasters," she said, hoping that the recent U.S. move to ease its sanctions on Syria will reflect positively on relief efforts in the country.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the IFRC is the world's largest humanitarian network supporting local Red Cross and Red Crescent action in more than 192 countries and bringing together almost 15 million volunteers for the good of humanity.