Saudi Arabia launches humanitarian air bridge to Syria

RIYADH (AFP): Saudi Arabia on Wednesday launched a humanitarian air bridge to Syria, delivering food, shelter and medical supplies, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The air bridge, established by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), aims to “alleviate the effects of the difficult conditions currently facing the Syrian people”, SPA said.

Others, including the European Union and Ukraine, have also announced aid for Syria, where the United Nations said seven out of 10 people need support.

Riyadh’s air bridge will “be followed by another land bridge in the coming days,” said Abdullah al-Rabeeah, the head of KSrelief, SPA reported.

Syria has been devastated by 13 years of civil war as well as Western sanctions targeting the government of deposed president Bashar al-Assad.

Millions have been displaced while the economy and civil infrastructure are in tatters, with a World Health Organisation analyst saying last week that approximately half of the country’s hospitals are out of service.

A source close to the Saudi government earlier said a high-ranking Saudi delegation had visited Damascus and met Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led the overthrow of Assad on December 8, after a lightning offensive.

Riyadh previously sent aid to Syria after a devastating February 2023 earthquake.