UN aid chief: The earthquake rescue period is "coming to an end"

 The UN assistance director said during a visit to Syria on Monday that the phase of relief efforts after the significant earthquake that devastated Turkiye and Syria a week ago is "coming to a conclusion" and that the focus is now shifting to housing, food, education, and psychosocial care.

Aleppo, a government-held city in northwest Syria that was a key front line in the Syrian civil war, has seen a great deal over the years, but even there, Martin Griffiths noted, "this moment... was about the worst that these people had experienced."

The 11-year-long war had divided northwest Syria into the insurgent-held territory at the Turkish border and government-controlled territories, which were both hit by the earthquake.

According to Griffiths, the United Nations would have help traveling from areas under the control of the government to the rebel-held northwest, a front line where supplies have rarely crossed during the conflict.

He also said that aid requests would be made for all the disaster-affected areas.

As the northwest of Syria is merely one region, Griffiths added, "We'll have support moving from here towards the northwest. It's also very vital that we take care of the people here."

On Monday, there were more fatalities in Syria.

More than 7,600 injuries and over 4,300 reported deaths were reported in the northwest, according to the UN. 1,414 people have died in the Syrian government.

Griffiths claimed to have heard horrifying descriptions of the catastrophe from Aleppo survivors.

Some of the people who lost their children fled the building, while others remained inside. The trauma of the people we spoke to was evident, and the world needs to heal this trauma, he said.