The Indian Army field hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay, Turkey has started functioning. (Photo: Foreign ministry)
New Delhi: As earthquake-ravaged Turkey and Syria are grappling with the widespread devastation of cities and towns, India’s rescue-and-relief mission, “Operation Dost”, began in full swing in both the countries. According to the latest report, at least more than 19,300 people have been killed when an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale followed by several powerful aftershocks hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria in the wee hours of Monday, when most of the people were asleep.
International aid has been pouring into the two countries, although aid for Syria has been slow to reach because the country has been hit by international sanctions because of alleged war crimes and rights violations of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the ongoing civil war. Besides, there are isolated pockets of rebel-held territories that aid workers are finding it hard to reach.
#OperationDost
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) February 9, 2023
We Care.#IndianArmy#Türkiye pic.twitter.com/WoV3NhOYap
So far, India is one of the few countries that have sent rescue and relief materials to Syria. According to a foreign ministry media release, India has already sent three truckloads of more than six tonnes of emergency relief assistance by an Indian Air Force C130J Super Hercules aircraft to Damascus. The consignment includes medicines for emergency use, fluids for hydration, protective gear, medicines and medical equipment like ECG machine, patient monitor, etc. More aid is expected to be sent to the country.
An @IAF_MCC flight carrying 6 tons of Emergency Relief Assistance has taken off for Syria.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 7, 2023
Consignment consists of life saving medicines and emergency medical items.
Indian stands in solidarity with those most affected by this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/cqRavGX2yB
According to available reports, the other countries that are helping Syria are Russia, Iran, Pakistan, China, and North Korea. Among the Arab countries that have sent relief material and personnel to Syria are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Sudan, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. Most of the aid from other countries are reported to be working with the United Nations to help Syria in this hour of crisis. Reports said the first UN aid trucks arrived in the quake-hit rebel-held areas in northwest Syria from Turkey. However, this has been refuted by many observers of the Syrian civil war and relief missions in the region.
The convoy of six trucks that entered NW Syria through Bab Al-Hawa is an old convoy whose entry was planned before the earthquake occurred, but was delayed because of it. It is not a UN aid convoy to help the earthquake victims as it is being promoted. pic.twitter.com/6Ga34dAn4L
— Hussam Hammoud (@HussamHamoud) February 9, 2023
In Turkey, where the earthquake caused the most damage, aid had been pouring in from all over the world. India, under Operation Dost, sent six IAF C-17 Globemaster III aircraft loaded with rescuers from the National Disaster Relief Force, medical personnel and staff from the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment’s 60 Field Hospital, a dog squad to find survivors trapped under the debris of collapsed buildings, and other critical equipment.
The army field hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye has started functioning with running Medical, Surgical & Emergency Wards; X-Ray Lab & Medical Store. @adgpi team will work 24 x 7 to provide relief to the affected people.#OperationDost https://t.co/D9ATv2rfAV pic.twitter.com/zFFI85t2sG
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 9, 2023
The team has already set up a 30-bed field hospital. According to the foreign ministry, the hospital became operational on Thursday. It may be noted that the NDRF team started their rescue and relief mission in Turkey’s Gaziantep on Wednesday.
According to the latest reports, 16,100 people have been confirmed dead in the earthquake in Turkey, with more than 64,000 injured. Authorities and aid workers have reported that over 3,100 people have died in the Syrian side, which includes in government-held and rebel-held areas, and more than 5,000 have been injured.
