٠٠:٠٤:٠٥Hundreds of university students rallied outside the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Damascus on Thursday to demand the immediate cessation of sanctions imposed on Syria by Western nations.
The protest was organized by the National Union of Syrian Students and was mostly attended by students from Damascus University.
Demonstrators were seen waving Syrian flags and holding banners as they called on the UN’s media adviser Dr Khaled al-Masri to end the sanctions with immediate effect and allow for the provision of humanitarian aid for the victims of last week’s catastrophic earthquakes.
“Respond quickly and promptly to press on the government to immediately lift the siege, sanctions, and the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria 12 years ago,” said a protester from the National Union of Syrian Students.
“Provide immediate and urgent aid to the Syrian state and people in order to ease the suffering and aftermath of the recent earthquake and sanctions,” he added.
On Monday, February 6, two earthquakes hit Syria and Turkey, devastating cities across the two countries. Many buildings were reported to have collapsed, with Aleppo and Hama badly affected.
At the time of publication, the total combined death toll stands at over 40,000.
Rescue teams were dispatched from within both countries and abroad. The Syrian administration blamed Western sanctions for hampering the relief effort, while the US announced a temporary lifting of restrictions on Friday, February 10, having previously said aid would be routed through humanitarian groups on the ground.
Syria: 'Ease the suffering' - Hundreds of students demand end to sanctions outside UN headquarters in Damascus
Hundreds of university students rallied outside the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Damascus on Thursday to demand the immediate cessation of sanctions imposed on Syria by Western nations.
The protest was organized by the National Union of Syrian Students and was mostly attended by students from Damascus University.
Demonstrators were seen waving Syrian flags and holding banners as they called on the UN’s media adviser Dr Khaled al-Masri to end the sanctions with immediate effect and allow for the provision of humanitarian aid for the victims of last week’s catastrophic earthquakes.
“Respond quickly and promptly to press on the government to immediately lift the siege, sanctions, and the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria 12 years ago,” said a protester from the National Union of Syrian Students.
“Provide immediate and urgent aid to the Syrian state and people in order to ease the suffering and aftermath of the recent earthquake and sanctions,” he added.
On Monday, February 6, two earthquakes hit Syria and Turkey, devastating cities across the two countries. Many buildings were reported to have collapsed, with Aleppo and Hama badly affected.
At the time of publication, the total combined death toll stands at over 40,000.
Rescue teams were dispatched from within both countries and abroad. The Syrian administration blamed Western sanctions for hampering the relief effort, while the US announced a temporary lifting of restrictions on Friday, February 10, having previously said aid would be routed through humanitarian groups on the ground.
Hundreds of university students rallied outside the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Damascus on Thursday to demand the immediate cessation of sanctions imposed on Syria by Western nations.
The protest was organized by the National Union of Syrian Students and was mostly attended by students from Damascus University.
Demonstrators were seen waving Syrian flags and holding banners as they called on the UN’s media adviser Dr Khaled al-Masri to end the sanctions with immediate effect and allow for the provision of humanitarian aid for the victims of last week’s catastrophic earthquakes.
“Respond quickly and promptly to press on the government to immediately lift the siege, sanctions, and the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria 12 years ago,” said a protester from the National Union of Syrian Students.
“Provide immediate and urgent aid to the Syrian state and people in order to ease the suffering and aftermath of the recent earthquake and sanctions,” he added.
On Monday, February 6, two earthquakes hit Syria and Turkey, devastating cities across the two countries. Many buildings were reported to have collapsed, with Aleppo and Hama badly affected.
At the time of publication, the total combined death toll stands at over 40,000.
Rescue teams were dispatched from within both countries and abroad. The Syrian administration blamed Western sanctions for hampering the relief effort, while the US announced a temporary lifting of restrictions on Friday, February 10, having previously said aid would be routed through humanitarian groups on the ground.