Damascus(IP): The special advisor to the Syrian President said that Syria would welcome any initiative to help victims of a recent catastrophic earthquake, provided that this is done without politicization.

Iran PressMiddle East: The earthquake of 7.8 on the Richter scale on the morning of Monday in northwest Syria has caused a lot of damage. 

The death toll from the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday is now at least 15,865, according to authorities.

In Syria, the total number of fatalities is at least 2,992, including 1,730 in areas in the northwest, according to the "White Helmets" civil defense group. Some 1,262 deaths have been recorded in government-controlled parts of the country, according to Syrian state media. 

In Turkey, the country’s disaster agency said 12,873 people died.

According to Iran Press quoted from SANA on Thursday, Bouthaina Shaaban, the special advisor to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced that hours after the earthquake, the country asked for help from the member states of the United Nations, international organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian institutions, and this confirms that we accept the help of all countries, provided that this help is not politicized.

The adviser to the Syrian president stated that a large number of countries helped Syria, while the western countries claim that providing this aid violates the resolutions of the Security Council, adding that although these resolutions are clear.

While Turkey has received an outpouring of support and aid, analysts have warned that Syrian victims may become hostages of Western sanctions imposed against the government amid the country's more than decade-long civil war.

She also emphasized that humanitarian aid is not under sanctions and its delivery to countries that are subject to humanitarian disasters and terrorist attacks is allowed, which also applies to the situation in Syria.

Shaaban further emphasized the need to remove the illegal Western economic sanctions on Syria, which have caused the suffering of the people of this country and prevented government institutions from functioning properly.

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