UN chief welcomes Syria's decision to open two crossing points for aid delivery

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to reporters on the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria at the UN headquarters in New York, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Xie E)

"Opening these crossing points -- along with facilitating humanitarian access, accelerating visa approvals and easing travel between hubs -- will allow more aid to go in, faster," Antonio Guterres said.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday hailed Syria's decision to open two crossing points, which he said would allow more and quick aid delivery.

"I welcome the decision today by President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to open the two crossing points of Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra'ee from Türkiye to north-west Syria for an initial period of three months to allow for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid," Guterres said in a statement.

"Opening these crossing points -- along with facilitating humanitarian access, accelerating visa approvals and easing travel between hubs -- will allow more aid to go in, faster," he said.

The UN chief noted that as the toll of the Feb. 6 earthquake continues to mount, delivering food, health, nutrition, protection, shelter, winter supplies and other life-saving supplies to all the millions of people affected is "of the utmost urgency."

Rescuers work at an earthquake-hit site in Latakia, Syria, Feb. 10, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

The twin strong earthquakes that rocked Syria on Feb. 6 have killed about 5,300 people in the government-controlled and rebel-held areas, according to the latest figures released by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The United Nations said on Friday that the earthquakes had displaced 5.3 million people in Syria.