ICRC to insist on freeing humanitarian operations in Syria from sanctions

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will insist on the withdrawal of humanitarian aid operations, including in Syria, from international sanctions, Director-General of the organization Robert Mardini said on the sidelines of the International Humanitarian Forum in Riyadh, Report informs.

“Sanctions are always a political decision. We always insist that when making decisions on sanctions against other states, there should be humanitarian exceptions,” he said.

He noted that it is inappropriate to talk about whether certain restrictions are justified or not, but the ICRC “will continue to insist on the need to provide for very significant exceptions in any sanctions regime, including in relation to Syria.”

“This is necessary to ensure that humanitarian operations are not delayed or obstructed, which would be critical in the context of keeping civilians alive,” Mardini explained.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred in Türkiye, followed by a series of echo shocks, the magnitude of one of which was 7.6. The earthquake caused severe damage and casualties in Syria which neighbors Türkiye. According to the latest data, the death toll in Syria has exceeded 5,800.