UK unveils new aid package for Türkiye, Syria quake victims

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The UK on Wednesday announced a major new aid package to address the urgent humanitarian needs of earthquake victims in Türkiye and Syria.

“The £25 million ($30 million) new overseas aid will fund additional emergency relief, such as tents and blankets for families made homeless in freezing conditions,” an official statement said.

The package will support the work of the UN and aid agencies on the ground in Syria, as well as the recovery effort in Türkiye led by the government, it said.

There will be a particular focus on protecting women and girls, including by helping with childbirth and midwifery and reducing the risk of gender-based violence for communities who have been displaced, read the statement.

“The UK’s priority is to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people who need it most and that is why I am pleased to announce this additional funding today, which will be so vital in ensuring those affected can begin to rebuild their lives,” Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said.

On Feb. 6, two powerful earthquakes struck southern Türkiye, centered in Kahramanmaras and shaking nine other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

The death toll has now climbed over 35,400, with thousands more injured.

Felt in several countries, the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors also caused massive destruction in northern Syria, where more than 3,600 lives have been lost.