More than 600 people dead in Turkey, Syria after 7.8 magnitude earthquake
FOX NewsMAY 2023
As he's still demanding aid be delivered through his controlled areas, this is just another political stunt by Bashar al-Assad in his attempt to get international sanctions against him lifted. His brutal war has left 90% of his people impoverished, and now upwards of 5M could become homeless due to the earthquake. The West should stand firm in its demand that humanitarian aid is given directly to those most affected, whether they're rebel regions or not.
Though they were finally lifted days after the earthquake hit, the US sanctions against Syria have played a significant role in the Arab nation's poor humanitarian response. After spending years bombing civilians and occupying the country's oil land, the US — imposing its will on the Syrian people — has left the struggling nation ill-equipped to respond to this disaster. Neither side is innocent in this tragedy.