Syria’s Assad agrees to open two more entry points for aid to earthquake victims

UN announces regime leader's acceptance of border crossing points for humanitarian aid to reach rebel-held province

• Syrian rebel leader pleads for outside help a week on from earthquakes

The Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, has agreed to open two border crossing points to allow in a greater volume of emergency aid for victims of the earthquake that has devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, and killed 36,000 people.

Assad's decision was announced and welcomed by the UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, who said the two crossing points between Turkey and north-west Syria, at Bab al-Salam and Al Ra'ee, would be open for an initial period of three months to allow for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid".