Arab and Western countries offered their condolences to Turkey and Syria for the victims of the earthquake that occurred at dawn today, Monday, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands.
An earthquake struck Turkey and Syria at dawn on Monday, with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale, according to an announcement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq also announced that they were affected by aftershocks.
The death toll remains likely to rise, as hundreds of families are still under the rubble of buildings destroyed by the earthquake.
Arabic condolences
In a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt expressed its condolences and solidarity with both Turkey and Syria for the earthquake victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured, stressing its readiness to provide assistance in facing the effects of this terrible disaster.
While the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, made a phone call to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which he expressed his condolences and sympathy for the victims of the earthquake that struck several provinces in southern Turkey.
During the call, Sheikh Tamim also expressed Qatar's support for Turkey in mitigating the serious humanitarian repercussions left by the earthquake.
And from Palestine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through a statement, offered condolences to Turkey and Syria for the earthquake victims, affirming "its permanent support for the two brotherly countries, and its confidence in their ability to confront its effects."
In a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Sultanate of Oman expressed "its solidarity with all of Turkey and Syria, its sincere condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the earthquake victims, and its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured."
In Libya, Prime Minister Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba said on Twitter: "I offer my condolences to our brothers in Turkey, Syria and Lebanon for the victims of the painful earthquake (...) and I affirm my country's full solidarity with you in this great affliction."
While the President of the Northern Iraq Region, Nechirvan Barzani, tweeted his condolences to the earthquake victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.
International solidarity
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed, in a tweet, his "deep sadness" at receiving news of the earthquake in southeastern Turkey, offering condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people.
While US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that his country is ready to provide "all necessary assistance" to Turkey regarding the earthquake, pointing to the issuance of a directive from President Joe Biden in this regard.
In turn, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Bilstrom announced, via Twitter, that the European Union, which Stockholm will preside over in 2023, "will extend a helping hand to Turkey and Syria to coordinate efforts to assist the two countries after the earthquake," expressing his deep regret over its "horrific" effects.
Diyarbakır'da yıkılan bir binada arama kurtarma çalışmaları yapılıyor.
pic.twitter.com/WEbTnrZeA9
— TRT HABER (@trthaber) February 6, 2023
According to a statement by the Azerbaijani presidency, President Ilham Aliyev sent a message of condolence to his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for the earthquake victims, stressing his country's readiness to "provide all kinds of assistance at this difficult time."
And the Azerbaijani Ministry of Emergencies announced in a statement that a search and rescue team consisting of 370 members had been sent to Turkey, along with humanitarian and medical aid, to contribute to facing the effects of the earthquake, on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev.
The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg, announced the alliance's solidarity with Turkey to face the effects of the earthquake, adding that NATO allies are currently on alert to provide support to Turkey.
In the same context, the Russian Emergencies Ministry announced its readiness to send a search and rescue team of 100 members to Turkey to contribute to facing the effects of the earthquake.
Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Korneko said the ministry was "always ready to come to the aid of a friendly country".
For his part, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Arsin Tatar, expressed his country's condolences to the earthquake victims and its solidarity with Turkey.
Also, Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev sent a message of condolence to his Turkish counterpart and said that he had received with great sadness the news of the many deaths caused by the earthquake.
He also expressed his country's readiness to provide assistance to Turkey.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also published a message of condolence to the earthquake victims through his account on a social networking site.
He offered his condolences to President Erdogan, the Turkish people and the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.
In Israel, President Isaac Herzog expressed his condolences to Turkey for the earthquake.
"My condolences to President Erdogan and the Turkish people for the loss of life and destruction of livelihoods," he said in a tweet.
He also expressed "Israel's permanent readiness to provide assistance in every possible way."
Iran also offered its condolences to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquake and declared its readiness to provide medical and relief aid.