ISTANBUL — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry took a helicopter tour of one of the provinces hardest hit by the Feb. 6 earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria on Sunday, pledging an additional $100 million in aid to the region.
“This will be a long-term effort,” Blinken said at Incirlik Air Base, a joint US-Turkish facility that has coordinated disaster aid distribution. “Unfortunately, the search and rescue operation has come to an end. The recovery process has begun, followed by a massive rebuilding effort.”
President Joe Biden announced $85 million in aid to Turkey and Syria just days after the earthquake that killed over 44,000 people in both countries. The United States has also sent a search and rescue team, medical supplies and equipment.
Blinken said that the extra help comes from $50 million in emergency funds for refugees and migrants and another $50 million in humanitarian aid.
The secretary of state is visiting NATO ally Turkey for the first time since taking office two years ago. Blinken arrived at Incirlik Air Base near Adana on Sunday after going to the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
Blinkin Is Set To Fly To Ankara
He flew over Turkey’s Hatay province with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. He was supposed to meet with Turkish service members and their families who the earthquake had hurt.
“When you see the extent of the damage, the number of buildings, apartments, and homes that have been destroyed, it’s going to take a massive effort to rebuild,” the top U.S. diplomat said following the helicopter tour.
“The most important thing right now is to get assistance to people who need it, to get them through the winter and back on their feet,” Blinken said as troops nearby unloaded boxes of aid.
Incirlik, home to the U.S. Air Force’s 39th Air Base Wing, has served as an important logistics hub for aid distribution. Supplies from all over the world have been flown into the base and distributed by truck and helicopter to those in need, including in remote villages.
Blinken is scheduled to fly to Ankara, Turkey’s capital, later Sunday for talks with Turkish officials on Monday, including a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Blinken is expected to talk about the effects of the earthquake as well as Sweden and Finland’s efforts to join NATO, which have been held up by Turkey.
SOURCE – (AP)
