Minister: Lebanon mission to Syria of humanitarian nature - Exclusive
The Minister says that Italian aid planes will land at Beirut airport today and then head to Syria.
Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport in the Lebanese caretaker government, Ali Hamieh, confirmed today on Saturday that the Lebanese mission to Syria is of humanitarian nature.
In a statement to Al Mayadeen, Hamieh said that two Italian aid planes will land at Beirut airport today and then head to Syria.
Read more: UN WFP calls on Int'l community to lift 'some' sanctions on Syria
طائرات مساعدات إيطالية ستحط في مطار #بيروت اليوم وتتوجه بعدها إلى #سوريا.
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 11, 2023
وزير الأشغال في حكومة تصريف الأعمال علي حمية لـ #الميادين.@alihamie_lb@abbas_sabbagh pic.twitter.com/g1mboQ1RSl
With regard to the Lebanese support for Syria, the Minister of Public Works told Al Mayadeen earlier that the airport and the ports of Tripoli and Beirut are exempt from all fees and taxes for any aid supplies bound for Syria.
The Lebanese army also sent 15 members of the engineering regiment to Syria to contribute to the search-and-rescue operations after it had sent 20 members of the same regiment to Turkey earlier.
Read more: Al-Assad and First Lady visit earthquake survivors in Aleppo
الجيش اللبناني سيرسل ٢٠ عنصرًا من فوج الهندسة إلى الجمهورية التركية للمساهمة في أعمال البحث والإنقاذ.#الجيش_اللبناني #LebaneseArmy pic.twitter.com/JZAt0NQzC1
— الجيش اللبناني (@LebarmyOfficial) February 6, 2023
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry expressed its "deep sympathy and solidarity with Syria, regarding the catastrophe caused by the devastating earthquake," and expressed Lebanon's readiness to provide aid and assistance.
من حرب تموز.. إلى #انفجار_المرفأ.. فزلزال #تركيا وسوريا#علي_صفي_الدين الذي انتشل جثة ابنته في #حرب_تموز يروي كيف أنقذ حياة أم وابنها في #جبلة.#الميادين#سوريا #لبنان#زلزال_سوريا#زلزال_سوريا_تركيا#زلزال_شرق_المتوسط#سوريا_وتركيا_إرادة_حياة pic.twitter.com/KOs1X2gwEo
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 10, 2023
A few days ago, an official Lebanese delegation visited Damascus to meet with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to offer condolences and review the measures taken by the Lebanese government to provide assistance to Syria.
The death toll from the violent earthquake that struck Syria has risen to more than 4,000, while many people are still under the rubble.
كيف يبدو المشهد على الأرض في مدينة #جبلة السورية؟#الميادين#زلزال_سوريا#زلزال_سوريا_تركيا#زلزال_شرق_المتوسط @mohmdkhdr pic.twitter.com/rXKnZdLacO
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 11, 2023
إنقاذ شاب ووالدته من تحت أنقاض بناء الريحاوي في مدينة #جبلة السورية بعد مرور خمسة أيام على انهيار المبنى إثر الزلزال المدمر الذي ضرب المنطقة.#الميادين #سوريا#زلزال_سوريا#زلزال_سوريا_تركيا#زلزال_شرق_المتوسط pic.twitter.com/l67sq0U50z
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 10, 2023
Earlier, the Director of Civil Defense in Syria, Major General Safwan Bahloul, explained that the search for survivors under the rubble of the destroyed buildings as a result of the earthquake is ongoing, pointing to the possibility, albeit minimal, of finding survivors.
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and First Lady Asma Al-Assad arrived on Saturday in the city of Latakia and visited survivors of the earthquake in the Tishreen University Hospital.
They visited Duha Nour Allah and her son Ibrahim Zakaria, who were pulled out from under the rubble, yesterday evening, five days after the earthquake struck in the city of Jableh.
Read more: Turkey-Syria earthquake search operations underway, toll exceeds 21K
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said in a statement to Al Mayadeen today, "A country's president does not send messages to the people, but rather receives messages from his people to employ them," adding, "Our message today is sincere and honest work."
Al-Assad indicated, after he and his wife Asma visited this morning the rescue and relief sites in Jableh in Latakia Governorate, that "western double standards are not new, they are self-evident and have existed for six centuries."
Read more: Western selective humanitarianism, Syria earthquake falls on deaf ears
من زيارة الرئيس بشار الأسد والسيدة أسماء الأسد لمصابي وجرحى الزلزال في مشفى تشرين الجامعي في مدينة اللاذقية. pic.twitter.com/pdT94janQ8
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) February 11, 2023