Libya dispatches tons of medical supplies to quake victims in Türkiye

By Anadolu Staff

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – Libya’s Tripoli-based government has dispatched tons of medical supplies to the victims of last week’s two deadly earthquakes in Türkiye, according to a Turkish diplomat on Wednesday.

Turkish Ambassador in Tripoli Kenan Yilmaz said that the Libyan aid has exceeded 15 tons of medical supplies.

“Medical devices, hospital beds, generators, blankets and heaters were sent to the quake victims as part of the Libyan aid,” Yilmaz told Anadolu.

Jibril al-Shteiwi, the director of the Libyan defense minister’s office, said an air bridge has been launched upon orders from Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh for the quake victims in Türkiye and Syria.

“Four planes loaded with aid have already been sent to Türkiye and Syria,” he said, adding that a fifth aid plane is also being prepared to be dispatched.

At least 35,418 people were killed and 105,505 others injured in two powerful earthquakes that rocked southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, according to the latest official figures.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

In Syria, at least 3,688 people were killed and over 14,749 injured in the earthquake disaster.

Since the earthquake disaster, 16 Arab countries officially announced the launch of air bridges and the provision of urgent relief and medical aid to support Türkiye, according to official statements.

The countries are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain, Libya, Tunisia, Palestine, Iraq, Mauritania, Sudan, and Oman.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report.