大象传媒

A 大象传媒 News Arabic investigation has found that a narrow interpretation of international law contributed to a delay in the delivery of life-saving international humanitarian aid by the United Nations to North-West Syria following the earthquake of February 6th.

According to the UN, there is a 72-hour window for the rescue of people trapped without access to water after an earthquake.

It was only after that window of possibility had passed that any UN aid trucks crossed the border into the rebel-held areas of Idlib and Aleppo, in northwest Syria. Even then, they only bought blankets and biscuits, not the crucial search and rescue kit and trained personnel that was deployed to Turkey by UN agencies within hours of the quake.