UNHCR hails Egypt’s dispatch of 1st int’l team to provide aid to victims of quake in Syria

CAIRO – 10 February 2023: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees hailed on Thursday Egypt’s dispatch of the first international team to provide support to the Turkey-Syria earthquake victims.

“Despite the hard economic circumstances, Egypt is the first international team to reach to Syria to provide support and relief to those affected by the quake,” UNHCR Egypt said in a social media post.

The Commissioner thanked the Egyptian government and people for the continuous support.

Earlier this week, five military planes loaded with large quantities of medicine and medical supplies arrived in Turkey and Syria after the devastating earthquake that struck the two countries.

The planes took off from the East Cairo Air Base loaded with urgent aid provided by the Ministry of Health to the peoples of the two countries to help them alleviate the effects of the devastating quake, the Egyptian Army spokesman said.

Death toll due to the earthquake in Turkey and Syria early on Monday has exceeded 21,000, making it the deadliest seismic event over the past decade.

Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi extended condolences on Tuesday to each of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar El-Asad, affirming Egypt’s readiness to provide support to the peoples of both countries.