Idlib -

A number of Syrians in the city of Sarmada, located in the north of Idlib governorate, near the Syrian border with Turkey, painted murals criticizing the inaction of the United Nations.

Activists raised the flags of the United Nations hanging backwards, denouncing its stance towards the thousands of victims of the earthquake in northwestern Syria.

The Syrian artist Aziz Al-Asmar painted a mural on one of the destroyed buildings in the city of Sarmada, north of Idlib, with the words "The United Nations has failed us."

Pictures were also drawn on the rubble of the houses, under the title "Thank you for your letdown" and a banner translated into English, in condemnation of the international failure.

Activists raise the United Nations flag upside down (Al Jazeera)

meager aid

In an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, media activist Issa Mastoo indicated that the UN aid was delayed for 3 days, and after its arrival it was meager, which consisted of 6 trucks containing cleaning materials and some blankets.

"While the Civil Defense was requesting rescue vehicles and equipment for removing rubble, the United Nations was preparing to send a second shipment, pre-equipped before the earthquake, as well as cleaning materials," he added.

The activist was surprised by the United Nations' reaction towards the victims in northern Syria, saying: "What is the benefit of those who struggle under the rubble with hygiene materials and blankets? Therefore, talk is greater than abandonment."

A mural by a Syrian painter on one of the destroyed buildings in the city of Sarmada, north of Idlib (Al-Jazeera)

An admission of negligence

In turn, the United Nations admitted its negligence, noting that it had failed more than 5 million civilians residing in northwestern Syria, following the devastating earthquake that struck the country a week ago.

"The people of northwest Syria have failed us, and they are right to feel abandoned," said Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

He added in a tweet on Twitter today, Sunday: "I am looking for international assistance that has not arrived. My duty is to correct the failure as quickly as possible. This is my focus now."

The United Nations did not respond to the distress calls made by the Syrians, humanitarian organizations and rescue teams after the earthquake that struck the region last Monday.

Four days after it occurred, the United Nations sent an aid convoy consisting of 14 vehicles from the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, and justified its position by saying that the roads were cut off.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, justified the international organization's delay in providing relief to the afflicted and affected by the earthquake, by claiming that the reason for the delay in bringing humanitarian aid into northwestern Syria was the roads damaged by the earthquake.

As for the United Nations not sending equipment and engineering machinery to remove the rubble and save the lives of as many victims as possible, Haq said that the organization does not have rescue equipment that can be sent to northern Syria.