Statoil has donated NOK 5million (£465,000) to assist the Red Cross in its efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in war-torn Syria.
The Syrian Red Crescent and the International Red Cross Committee (IRCC) have been evacuating civilians and injured people from eastern Aleppo.
In the last week they managed to transport 10,000 people from the area, many of whom were children, a Statoil spokesperson said.
Reidar Gjærum, head of communication at Statoil, said: “We are all affected by the pictures and stories coming out of Syria and Aleppo. The situation is critical and the international community must contribute.
“Our contribution goes to the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement that has a long history of humanitarian aid in challenging conditions. We believe it’s important that companies like ours contribute.”
Sven Molleklein, president for Red Cross in Norway, said: “I’ve been here every year the last five years during the war, and I see that it’s now worse than ever. The amount of people needing emergency help and aid, the amount that are severely injured and the number that has been killed gets higher and higher.
“Those who live in Aleppo have to make impossible decisions to get to safety. They make their way through destroyed buildings, and walk for hours. On their backs they carry the injured, the sick and small children. They arrive at reception centres with nothing. Thanks to the gift from Statoil we can now help even more people with food, shelter, clean water and warm clothes or blankets.”