While the preliminary death toll from the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday rises to 41,000 Jandiris, north of Aleppo, comes a poignant story. A little girl protected her little sister from the rubble by hugging her. She died while the other survived and was rescued by rescuers. The story was shared on Twitter by the White Helmets humanitarian civil defense organization active in north-eastern Syria.
The humanitarian organization also posted the video of the girl’s rescue operation on its Twitter account. “Your little sister sacrificed herself… Amazing moments to save a little girl who was on her sister’s lap,” the post reads. Footage shows rescue teams “snatching” the little girl from her deceased sister’s arms under the rubble of their home.
UN: “The aid phase ends” – The earthquake aid phase is “coming to an end,” said the UN aid chief
Martin Griffiths on a visit to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. CNN reports it. “What we have seen in the areas affected by the earthquake is that the rescue phase, which is pulling the living out of the rubble and finding the dead, is coming to an end. And now the humanitarian phase begins: providing shelter, psychosocial support, food, a sense of the future are our commitments,” Griffiths noted. “In Aleppo, I heard chilling stories,” he added.
Guterres: “Damascus has agreed to open two border crossings” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s decision to open the two border crossings, Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee, to allow for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid. “As the number of earthquakes continues to rise, providing food, nutrition, shelter, shelter, winter supplies and other life-saving supplies to the millions affected is of the utmost urgency,” said Guterres, who stressed, “The opening of these crossings is in addition to facilitating the… humanitarian access, speeding up visa approvals and making travel easier, will allow more aid to come in faster.”