The Syrian rescue organisation, White Helmets, severely criticised the United Nations on Friday, saying no appropriate humanitarian aid had arrived in the earthquake-destroyed north-western region.

They accused the UN of acting on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“The UN is on the side of the government, not the people,” al-Saleh said via a translator.

He appealed to governments to organise direct aid outside of UN channels.

The UN “should apologise to the people,” he said from the Idlib region via video link to reporters in Geneva.

Rami Abdul Rahman, Head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that a shipment of aid arrived on Thursday.

He said the tents for shelter and equipment to remove the rubble were still lacking.

A second convoy crossed the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday, according to dpa sources.

Mustafa Dahnon, an activist from Idlib, who was at the border crossing, told dpa that the trucks were mainly carrying blankets and carpets to keep people warm.

“We need tents. If we have blankets and carpets and we do not have tents, where will people sleep?” he wondered. 

(dpa/NAN)