Algeria: We will always stand by the Syrian nation and people

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen Net
12 Feb 2023 16:59
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The Algerian National Assembly Speaker Saleh Goudjil asserts that Algeria will always remain on the side of Syria and its people, as the Syrian Ambassador acknowledged the continued Algerian support.

Algerian rescue teams arrive at Aleppo International Airport in Syria on February 7, 2023. (AFP)

The Algerian National Assembly Speaker Saleh Goujil affirmed that Algeria would continue to side with Syria and the Syrian people especially following the devastating earthquake.

Goujil noted, as he offered his condolences at the Syrian Embassy in Algeria, that "our support for Syria in its ordeal remains a duty for Algeria" and that the country will always remain on the side of the Syrian people.

For his part, the Syrian Ambassador to Algeria, Namir Al-Ghanem, said, "It is not strange for Algeria to be proactive in providing aid to Syria."

Furthermore, Ghanem said, "We are confident that Algeria will be at Syria's side in times of joy and sorrow," adding, "We look forward to the distinguished relations between the Syrian and Algerian peoples."

أول فريق انقاذ وصل الى سورية بعد الزلزال ومحملا بالمساعدات للشعب السوري المتضرر كان جزائريا..
هذا أقل من الواجب pic.twitter.com/BFPcH29eyM
— dahleb mustafa (@DahlebMustafa) February 6, 2023

The Syrian Ambassador, on his part, pointed out that Syria will not forget that the first aid plane that landed in Damascus was an Algerian one.

Algeria prepares for air bridge to help earthquake victims in Syria

The Algerian Red Crescent announced earlier on Friday that a new air bridge is being prepared to transport tonnes of aid to Syria in the near future.

For his part, the Speaker of the Algerian Parliament, Ibrahim Boughali, discussed on Friday, with the heads of parliamentary committees, ways to provide more support to the victims of the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on Monday.

The Council put forward some proposals, such as the allocation of a portion of the Parliament’s budget to those affected, opening a bank account to collect donations from associations and citizens who wish to contribute to this initiative, and running a medical convoy that includes the MPs who practice the medical profession.

Turkey-Syria earthquake death toll to top 50,000, UN warns

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria will "double or more" from its current level, which is approaching 30 thousand, according to the United Nations emergency relief coordinator.

"I think it is difficult to estimate precisely as we need to get under the rubble, but I'm sure it will double or more,” Martin Griffiths said.

"It's deeply shocking... the idea that these mountains of rubble still hold people, some of them still alive,” he said, adding, "We haven't really begun to count the number of dead."

Griffiths arrived in Turkey's southern city of Kahramanmaras on Saturday, the epicenter of the first 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked millions of people on Monday.

Hopes for those trapped under wreckage in Turkey are fading with each passing moment, Griffiths said, as rescue efforts in Syria were nearing completion. "They say 72 hours is the golden period (for rescues)," Griffiths said.

"But just now they have pulled out someone alive, an hour or two ago. It must be incredibly difficult to decide when to stop this rescue phase and move into the next phase, which is also going to have its problems," he added.

29,605 people have been killed in Turkey and more than 4,000 in Syria, for a total confirmed death toll of 33,179, according to officials and medics.