Assad finally allows international aid to reach Syrian quake victims

On Saturday, Damascus finally permitted international aid to be sent across government lines to earthquake victims in rebel-held areas of four provinces. In Syria alone, it’s feared the death toll has soared to 3,500 and up to 5.3 million made homeless. A UN spokesman commented “A once in a lifetime” disaster hit a country that has been in conflict for 12 years and was already deep in a longstanding humanitarian crisis” with mass displacement of civilians and basic infrastructure in ruins.