Damascus - (AFP) - The head of the World Health Organization announced Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has expressed willingness to consider opening more border crossings to deliver aid to earthquake victims in northwestern Syria , which is under opposition control.

"This afternoon, I met President Assad, who made it clear that he is open to the idea of (opening) border crossings (in response) to this urgent situation," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

As a result of the earthquake, roads connected to the Bab al-Hawa crossing, the only crossing point currently from Turkey to opposition areas, were damaged. Although aid has returned to flow through the crossing since Thursday, calls are increasing for the opening of other border crossing points in order to speed up the delivery of necessary support.

Tedros also welcomed the "recent approval given by the Syrian government to cross-border United Nations convoys," to be able to deliver aid to opposition areas.

Damascus had announced its agreement to deliver international aid from the areas it controls.

But the World Health Organization is still waiting for the green light from the authorities in opposition areas to get the aid in.

"We are waiting," added the Director-General of the World Health Organization.

"We can move at any time to the northwest thanks to the mandate we have... From this side, we are now waiting for news from the other side," he said, adding, "When it reaches us, we will cross in a northwest direction."