Why sending aid to Syria is complicated

The devastating earthquakes that struck the Middle East on Monday have left devastation across Turkey and Syria, and have generated offers of support and aid from countries across the globe.

But while material support and manpower flow fairly smoothly into Turkey, there are numerous obstacles in getting aid into northern Syria.

The region, largely controlled by rebel groups opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad, had already been dependent on aid agencies to a large extent for many years, with its people enduring poverty, homelessness and repeated bombing campaigns by the government and its allies.

The earthquakes have exacerbated an already fragile situation, destroying much of the crumbling housing and infrastructure of the region as well as the routes that already existed for aid convoys.

But the destruction of physical routes into the region is just one of the many issues that have made providing aid to earthquake survivors so difficult.

In this explainer, Middle East Eye takes a look at the main problems facing Syrians in the wake of the disaster.

Syria earthquake: Why sending aid is complicated