Opinion: This is not about Assad. Syrians simply need aid

As the world pitches in to help Turkey’s earthquake victims, the continued suffering of the Syrian people is being fuelled by domestic political factors in the US and a myopic view of the country. This week, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that 'the US approach to the Assad regime has not changed', and reiterated the US stance to refuse talks with the Syrian government on disaster relief.

Yet no one has asked the Americans to negotiate with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; the issue is about assisting the people of Syria. While the UAE, Algeria, India and others rush to help Syrians, Washington is still caught up in the politics of aid, as analysts criticise the agencies and foreign governments that are providing aid to the Syrian government.

Earthquake victims receive treatment at the al-Rahma Hospital in the town of Darkush, Idlib province, northern Syria, 6 February 2023 (AP)