Lebanon opens up airports, ports for aid to Syria

After the meeting, Hamieh offered condolences on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers to both the Syrian Arab Republic and the Turkish Republic, calling for "mercy for the victims and a speedy recovery for the injured," announcing that "the mission was formed by the Supreme Defense Council, includes members of the army, civil defense, and Beirut fire brigade, the Disaster Risk Management Unit at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers - the General Secretariat of the Supreme Defense Council, the Lebanese Red Cross, in addition to coordination with some private sector companies." 

He stressed that "Syria is a brotherly country, and what happened yesterday was a very painful earthquake that led to a loss of life, and we - as Prime Minister Mikati indicated - it is our duty to stand by Syria despite the difficult economic conditions we are going through, on all levels.” 

Announcing the Beirut Fire Brigade Center, in consultation with Caretaker Prime Minister Mikati, that "we have decided to open our air and sea facilities to transport companies loaded with humanitarian aid from countries, institutions, and international organizations, and to exempt them from airport and port fees, especially those related to facing the aftershocks of the earthquake that occurred," considering that "this decision of ours came as a result that some companies refrained from docking and landing in the Syrian ports and airports as a result of the sanctions imposed on them.” 

Hamieh confirmed that he "contacted several private sector companies, which expressed their willingness to contribute to the removal of rubble through the mechanisms they provide for this purpose, and communication between them, the Supreme Defense Council and the Syrian embassy will be carried out to coordinate the work." 

Hamieh concluded by saying: "What happened in northern Syria is a humanitarian catastrophe," considering that the mission of a humanitarian nature that will head today represents the Lebanese people who stand with Syria in the most difficult circumstances it is going through. 

In turn, the Director General of the Lebanese Civil Defense, Brigadier General Raymond Khattar, saluted all the participants in the search and rescue operations, some of whom went to Turkey and others to Syria today, calling for "cooperation and coordination among all and working as one team of a purely humanitarian nature representing the Lebanese state," stressing that "we will remain in constant contact with the mission."