The United Arab Emirates Tuesday pledged $100 million to Syria and Turkey, one of the largest sums yet following a massive earthquake that killed more than 6,256 people across both countries.
The Gulf nation – which had already pledged some $13.6 million to Syria – is spearheading regional relief efforts, having dispatched planes to both countries with relief items and rescue teams following the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck early Monday.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
On Tuesday, Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan “ordered the provision of $100 million for the relief of those affected,” the official WAM news agency said.
The sum would be equally split between Syria and Turkey, with each getting $50 million, according to the news agency.
It was not immediately clear if the funds for Syria included the $13.6 million previously announced.
Major General Saleh al-Ameri, commander of joint operations at the UAE’s defense ministry, said Tuesday that three military planes had been dispatched to Turkey, carrying search and rescue teams who have since commenced operations.
Watch: A young boy is pulled out from underneath the ruins of his home in #Syria’s Aleppo after a major #earthquake hit the country and neighboring #Turkey. https://t.co/DpUH16cblJ pic.twitter.com/uv8JrW3TJU
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 7, 2023
A total of seven flights are planned to the quake-hit countries, including two to the Syrian capital Damascus, he told local media.
Syria’s official SANA news agency said Tuesday that an Emirati plane carrying 10 tonnes of food supplies had arrived at the Damascus international airport.
The UAE reopened its embassy in the Syrian capital in December 2018, suggesting an effort to bring Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime back into the Arab fold after years of boycott.
In March last year, Assad made a visit to the UAE – his first to an Arab state in more than a decade of brutal civil war.
Meanwhile, the death toll from a massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria rose above 6,200 on Tuesday, official data showed, with rescue workers still searching for trapped survivors.
Authorities said 4,544 people have died in Turkey and 1,712 in Syria, bringing the total to 6,256.
Read more:
In a first, Egypt’s Sisi calls Syria’s Assad after devastating earthquake
Saudi Crown Prince extends condolences to Turkey’s Erdogan over deadly earthquake
Syrian opposition rescuers say hundreds of families still under quake rubble
Also Read
-
UAE, Saudi expats tell of Turkey, Syria earthquake terror, scramble for loved ones
A UAE resident described how she witnessed the deadly earthquake that killed thousands in Turkey and Syria, saying she felt the world was “coming to ... Gulf -
Can earthquakes be predicted? UAE-based expert seismologist weighs in
The unpredictable, and often chaotic, nature of earthquakes makes it challenging to develop a reliable earthquake early warning system.Expecting and ... Features -
Border crossing essential to deliver aid to Syria hit by earthquake: UN agency
The sole border crossing used to shuttle life-saving aid from Turkey into conflict-ravaged Syria has been hit by the deadly earthquake that struck the ... Middle East -
Syrian Red Crescent appeals to Western countries for aid after devastating earthquake
The Syrian Red Crescent on Tuesday appealed to Western countries to lift sanctions and provide aid after a powerful earthquake has killed more than ... Middle East
