The Alikan border crossing was opened for humanitarian aid to pass through
Turkey’s border with Armenia opened for the first time in 35 years on Saturday to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid to those affected by Monday’s earthquakes in southern Turkey.
Five trucks carrying aid from Armenia crossed the border through the Alican border crossing of eastern Turkey’s Igdir province, Anadolu reported.
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan uploaded video showing trucks carrying humanitarian aid crossing a bridge to reach Turkey.
Humanitarian aid from #Armenia crossed the Margara bridge on #Armenia–#Turkey border heading to earthquake-stricken region. pic.twitter.com/7lwWrbE3fa
— Vahan Kostanyan (@VahanKostanyan) February 11, 2023
“Humanitarian aid from Armenia crossed the Margara bridge on the Armenia-Turkey border heading to the earthquake-affected area,” Kostanyan wrote on Twitter.
Today #Armenia has sent humanitarian aid to #Turkey. Trucks with humanitarian aid have crossed the Margara bridge on the border and are on their way to the earthquake-stricken region.
— Vahan Hunanyan 🇦🇲 (@v_hunanyan) February 11, 2023
The Alikan border crossing was also used in 1988 when a major earthquake hit Armenia to send aid collected by the Turkish Red Crescent to the affected areas.
Last year, Turkish and Armenian officials agreed to open land borders for third-country nationals visiting both countries as soon as possible.
As part of the efforts, Turkey and Armenia also started commercial flights from February 2022 after a two-year hiatus.
The two countries have been divided over a number of issues, including Armenia’s occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the events of 1915 during the Ottoman Empire, and the border between the two neighbors has been closed since 1993.
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