Iraq to send 2 relief planes to quake-affected people in Türkiye

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iraq on Thursday decided to send two planes loaded with relief, food, and medicine aid to the affected victims of the devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye early this week, according to the Iraqi official news agency.

Haider Majeed, spokesman for the Iraqi Prime Ministry Secretariat, said in a statement that it is part of an air bridge to send relief materials to both quake-hit Türkiye and Syria, INA reported.

"This came based on the directives of the (Iraqi) Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani, and included air and land shipments destined for Syria and Türkiye," the Iraqi spokesman added.

According to INA, a previous statement by the Iraqi Prime Minister office said: "This came as an affirmation of the solidarity of the Iraqi people and government with the Syrian and Turkish peoples, and as a contribution to mitigating the effects of the humanitarian catastrophe."

Over the past two days, 13 Arab countries announced relief air bridges with Türkiye and Syria to take part in the rescue and relief operations. These countries include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain, Libya, Tunisia, Palestine, and Iraq.

At least 16,170 people were killed and 64,194 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

While in Syria, more than 3,000 people died from the earthquake, according to figures compiled by the Syrian regime's Health Ministry and the Syrian White Helmets civil defense.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara.