The Syrian Government Is Called Bombing Areas Controlled by Rebels After the Earthquake

The impact of the earthquake in Syria. (Twitter/@SyrianACD)

JAKARTA - The UK criticized the Syrian government under President Bashar al-Assad who was accused of having the heart to carry out attacks on areas occupied by rebel groups, shortly after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in Turkey and its impact was felt in Syria.

British MP Alicia Kearns who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee said President Bashar al-Assad carried out an "absolutely heartless and heinous attack" on Marea, a town in northwestern Syria that was hit hard by the earthquake, as quoted by Sky News, February 8.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State James Cleverly criticized the bombing, judging it completely unacceptable.

"(Kearns) was absolutely right to highlight the absolutely unacceptable bombing in the immediate aftermath of this natural disaster," Cleverly said.

"Unfortunately this speaks to an old pattern of behavior of the Assad regime, a regime that we condemn, have sanctioned and will continue to sanction, working with our international friends and partners, to try and prevent this type of behavior from happening again," he continued.

The remarks by Kearns, a Conservative Party politician, came after the White Helmets rescue organization issued a letter to diplomats, urging them to put pressure on Damascus "to ensure that there is no bombing in the affected areas". Marea is a city 35 km north of Aleppo

"Yesterday he bombed Marea, which is an area affected by the earthquake, in a completely heartless and heinous attack and opportunism for him to try to attack and crush the moderate opposition," Kearns told lawmakers on Tuesday, as quoted by The National News.

Separately, a military source stationed near the site confirmed the incident to Middle East Eye (MEE), saying there was "no material or human loss."

"Everyone is preoccupied with the earthquake disaster," he added.

A civilian source said the bombing occurred less than two hours after the earthquake in Turkey.

"I heard the sound of several bullets falling on the outskirts of the area around 2am," the source said.

Mamoun al-Khatib, an activist based in Marea told MEE that four or five shells had hit the area.

It is known, the death toll in Syria due to the earthquake that occurred is estimated at around 1.932, according to the government and rescue services in the rebel-held northwest, as reported by Reuters.

Difficult conditions, including freezing temperatures, are said to be hampering efforts, especially in rebel-held Syria, where people have fewer resources and fewer routes to deliver aid.