The first humanitarian mission of the Hellenic Red Cross to support the areas affected in Turkey leaves Athens tomorrow – The first humanitarian aid convoy passed through Syria – Letter of the “27” EU leaders to Erdogan
He has sent four flights with humanitarian aid in the last few hours Greece in Turkey while two more are expected. The humanitarian aid amounts to a total of 90 tons.
It is noted that the cost of transporting the materials to be made available is covered by 75% by the European Civil Protection Mechanism, while the remaining 25% of the national participation is sponsored by the AEGEAN airline.
At the same time, the process of collecting supplies from the All Together We Can and the Municipalitieswith the gathering of basic necessities.
40 tons of humanitarian aid will be transported by a mission of the Hellenic Red Cross
The first humanitarian mission of the Hellenic Red Cross to support the affected areas in Turkey leaves tomorrow from Athens.
Three trucks and a rescue vehicle of the Hellenic Red Cross, staffed by its specially trained staff, will transport approximately 40 tons of humanitarian aid (durable food, tents, blankets, sleeping bags, personal hygiene items, etc.), which will be delivered directly to the warehouses of the Turkish Red Crescent, in the center of the affected area.
It is noted that the next mission of the Hellenic Red Cross to Syria will be implemented immediately.
More than 17,500 dead in the two countries
The powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday caused the death of more than 17,500 people, according to the latest tally announced today by the authorities of the two countries.
According to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, 14,351 people were killed in Turkey, while in Syria 3,162 people lost their lives, according to official counts, bringing the total death toll to 17,513.
The first humanitarian aid convoy passed through Syria
The first convoy of humanitarian aid for earthquake victims in rebel-held areas of northern Syria crossed the Bab al-Hawa border crossing today, an official said.
The AFP correspondent saw six trucks, mostly carrying tents and other necessities, enter Syrian territory from Turkey.
According to Mazen Alukh, an official at the border crossing, this is help that was expected before Monday’s earthquake.
A little earlier, the UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen had stated that the Syrians affected by the deadly earthquake need “more than anything” in terms of aid.
“We need vital help”, Pedersen had emphasized while speaking to journalists from Geneva, “Civilians desperately need it wherever they are, regardless of borders and boundaries. We need it immediately through the fastest, most direct and most effective ways”.
“We received assurances that we will be able to send humanitarian aid” from Bab al-Hawa, he noted, asking “not to politicize” the provision of aid to the Syrian people, so that it reaches where they need it most.
At the same time, Turkey is today trying to open two more border crossings with Syria in order to pass humanitarian aid to its neighboring country.
Bab al-Hawa, located in southern Turkey’s Hatay province, is currently the only passage through which vital aid is delivered to rebel-held areas of northern Syria, based on a UN Security Council decision.
“Some roads on the Syrian side of the border have been damaged. Our aid and international aid is difficult to get through because of the disasters”, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu noted last Wednesday evening.
“For this reason, we are trying to open two other passages”, he had declared. “For humanitarian reasons, we are also considering the opening of border crossings in areas under the control of the government” of Syria, he added.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed thousands of people in Syria and Turkey, while tens of thousands more have been injured. Thousands of homes have been destroyed on both sides of the border, some from the first earthquake and others from the aftershocks that followed.
Humanitarian aid to the rebel-held areas of northern Syria arrives via Turkey under a cross-border mechanism created in 2014 following a UN resolution, which is regularly renewed. This mechanism is disputed by Damascus and its ally Russia, as they consider it to violate Syrian sovereignty.
Letter from the “27” EU leaders to Erdogan
European leaders have sent a letter to Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressing their sympathy for the devastating earthquake and their grief for the victims.
The letter to the Turkish president, which is signed by the 27 members of the European Council, states the following:
“Your people are going through a painful ordeal. We, the members of the European Council, wish to express our deepest condolences for the catastrophic loss of life following the earthquake that occurred on 6 February 2023. We are deeply shocked and saddened by the dramatic consequences of this terrible disaster.
Our thoughts are with all the families who have lost loved ones and with all those who are still waiting for news. We wish the many injured a speedy recovery. In these horrific conditions, we pay tribute to the brave rescuers who work around the clock to save lives.
The European Union and its Member States stand in full solidarity with the people of Turkey and Syria in the face of this tragedy.
Immediately after the earthquake, we made every effort to quickly provide all possible assistance to help alleviate the suffering in all affected areas. The European Commission and the Swedish Presidency took the initiative to host a Donors’ Conference to mobilize funds from the international community to support the people of Turkey and Syria in Brussels in March.
We are ready to further strengthen our support in close coordination with the Turkish authorities. Our thoughts will continue to be with you and your people.”
RES-EMP
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