Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria: Death toll rises to over 12,000
On February 8, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the country's authorities are promoting the opening of two more border crossings with Syria to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to this neighboring country, which is also suffering severe consequences of the recent devastating earthquake.
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Injured people are moved from the rubble after an earthquake in Idlib province, Syria on February 7, 2023. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
Speaking at a press conference attended by Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, Mr. Cavusoglu stated: “The Cilvegozu border crossing is open. We are working to open two more crossings… We are also providing the necessary support for the aid to reach Syria.”
Meanwhile, the road leading to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing from Türkiye to northern Syria has been damaged and aid deliveries to the rebel-held northwest have been temporarily disrupted, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The UN is preparing a convoy to enter Syria, but that may require a new agreement with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Dujarric said.
According to statistics up to this point, the number of people killed in the recent devastating earthquake in southern Türkiye and northern Syria has exceeded 12,000 people.
Many countries around the world and international organizations are mobilizing rescue teams and sending relief goods to areas affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The British government announced on February 8 that it would provide additional aid, including items such as tents and blankets, to support survivors of the February 6 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, amid freezing weather in the two countries. Meanwhile, Pakistan has sent the first batch of relief goods to Turkey to support rescue efforts after the earthquake. Egyptian rescue forces, including medical experts and rescue workers, along with three military planes carrying humanitarian aid, medical supplies and tents, have arrived in Syria to help victims of the devastating earthquake in this Middle Eastern country.
On the same day, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union (EU) plans to hold a donors' conference next March to mobilize international aid to help Syria and Türkiye overcome the devastating consequences of the recent earthquake.
