FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUL 9, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) is thrilled to announce the successful arrival of five doctors to the Rukban IDP Camp in Southern Syria as part of SETF’s ‘Operation Syrian Oasis’, a humanitarian initiative launched in June 2023 that ended an eight-year siege affecting 8,000 civilians imposed by the Assad regime, Russia, and Iran. This landmark visit marks the first time a multi-specialist medical delegation accessed the besieged camp, second only to a doctor’s visit in September 2023 that proved the concept of bringing in medical personnel to the camp. The medical team is made up of dentist Dr. Majed Alazzawi, pediatrician Dr. Muhammed Bakr Ghbeis, neurosurgeon Dr. Rami Kalazi, oral surgeon Dr. Temim Cübeyinoğlu and a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.
During an earlier visit alongside SETF’s Executive Team, cardiologist Dr. Haytham Albizim entered Rukban to see dozens of patients who never had access to this before. In coordination with SETF, Dr. Albizem provided the camp’s first medical assessment conveying the dire medical needs of Rukban. His findings, along with feedback from camp residents and SETF’s staff, underscored the urgent need for ongoing medical aid due to the rising number of critical cases among civilians in the camp. Expanding ‘Operation Syrian Oasis’ to include regular medical aid thus became a top priority to safeguard the lives of the camp’s residents.
Camp resident Om Mahmoud expressed her gratitude to the doctors: “The arrival of doctors to the camp came at the perfect time, as there are urgent and difficult cases that require specialized doctors, in addition to chronic conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes, and mental illness that affect a significant amount of the camp population. The arrival of this group of doctors restores hope to us the people of the camp.”
Since June 2023, SETF has completed multiple rounds of aid deliveries, consisting of seeds, irrigation tools, milk formula, prenatal vitamins, educational materials, and more. Notably, the doctors’ visits to the camp and the continued deliveries of aid have been made possible through the Denton Humanitarian Aid Program, which have allowed SETF to utilize available cargo space on U.S. military planes for the transfer of substantial aid quantities and personnel. SETF celebrates this victory that allows for thousands of civilians to receive medical attention and remains committed to its mission of providing vital humanitarian and medical support to the people of Rukban, working tirelessly to improve their living conditions and ensure their access to essential services.
For inquiries, please contact:
Maria Cure, Director of Communications
[email protected]
www.setf.ngo
About the Syrian Emergency Task Force
The Syrian Emergency Task Force is a Syrian-American 501(c)(3) headquartered in Washington, D.C. SETF works tirelessly to bring an end to the killing in Syria through humanitarian initiatives, advocacy and the pursuit of justice and accountability for war crimes. Today, SETF stands as the most notable American organization working on Syria, as evidenced by the impact it has made both on the ground in Syria and the U.S. SETF serves as a resource for education by bringing the voices of the Syrian people to the international stage. From testimonies at the UN Security Council to local grassroots community fundraisers, the team brings together like-minded people who are determined to fight for a safe, and free Syria away from the vicious dictatorship.