SYRIA: Second airplane lands in Zalin (Qamishli), corrupt regime officials suspected of releasing some passengers before being tested and quarantined in exchange for bribes

ZALIN ܒܝܬ ܙܠܝ̈ܢ‎ (QAMISHLI), Syria – On Tuesday, for the second time in three days, a civilian airplane managed to fly from Damascus to Zalin (Qamishli) airport, despite a national grounding of all civilian aircraft as a measure to prevent the spreading on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Six passengers on the latest flight were given a “finger-prick” test by the Crisis Cell Emergency Committee.

However, the remaining passengers had been released by officials affiliated with the Syrian government in Damascus before being tested and quarantined. which could expose Zalin to the threat of COVID-19 spread.

The finger-prick test is an antibody test that can detect if a person has had coronavirus before and has since recovered. The test detects a past or mid- to late-stage asymptomatic infection within 30 seconds.

Damascus has several confirmed cases of COVID-19 and likely many more unreported. The continuation of commercial flights between Damascus and Zalin, despite the cessation of domestic Syrian flights ordered by the Syrian regime, puts the people of North and East Syria at risk.

Despite the best efforts of the governing Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA), the region is ill prepared to tackle an outbreak of COVID-19 with only one ventilator per 100,000 people, according to information compiled by the Rojava Information Center.

The Health Directorate of Zalin appealed to all citizens to report any suspected COVID-19 case coming from Damascus.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, corrupt elements of the Syrian regime released dozens of passengers of the Damascus–Zalin flight in exchange for 10,000 Syrian Pounds per passenger.

Following the incident, the DAA instituted additional measures at the entrances and exits of the airport to help prevent the spreading of COVID-19.

On Sunday, another civilian plane had at Zalin airport carrying 20 passengers, all of whom were subjected to the “finger-prick” test and quarantined in the Havana Hotel until they are proven healthy.