Kuwaitis raise $67 million for quake victims in Türkiye, Syria

By Gulsen Topcu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kuwaitis raised 20 million Kuwaiti dinars ($67 million) Saturday for victims of twin earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria.

More than 129,000 people participated in a donation drive from Kuwait’s Social Affairs Ministry that was launched to help victims.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah thanked donors during an interview with state television.

Sixteen Arab countries officially announced the launch of air bridges and the provision of urgent relief and medical aid to support Türkiye, according to statements.

They include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain, Libya, Tunisia, Palestine, Iraq, Mauritania, Sudan and Oman.

At least 24,617 people have been killed and more than 80,200 injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, according to the latest figures.

The 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, were felt by 13 million people across 10 provinces in Türkiye, and also affected several countries in the region.

In Syria, government and rescue officials reported nearly 3,553 people were killed and more than 5,270 wounded.