Saudi aid for Türkiye to continue ‘as long as needed’: Charge d'affaires

By Mahmoud Barakat

ANKARA (AA) – The Saudi charge d'affaires in Ankara said the kingdom will continue its support for victims of last week’s earthquakes in southern Türkiye "as long as it is needed."

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu, Saudi Charge d'Affaires Mohammed Alharbi grieved over the losses from the quakes.

“We offer our condolences to the Turkish people and the Turkish government for this great affliction, and we ask Allah to lift this (disaster) urgently from Türkiye, have mercy on the dead, and heal the injured,” Alharbi said.

Last Monday's magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors were centered in Kahramanmaras and hit nine other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa. They also caused widespread destruction in northern Syria.

- Saudi support

Alharbi said Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman started the kingdom’s support for the victims by ordering the operation of “an air bridge immediately after the earthquakes to deliver humanitarian aid.”

Urgent aid made up of medical supplies, food, and tents along with rescue and research teams came from various sources such as the King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Aid Center, Saudi Civil Defense, and the Saudi Red Crescent.

He added that the teams include volunteers.

Through the air bridge, a team equipped with top technologies was also dispatched “to search for survivors and help save them,” the Saudi diplomat said.

Noting that the participation of many countries helped the speedy rescue and assistance for people affected by the quakes, he said the kingdom “participated with a large team and has so far flown seven planes through the air bridge, and it continues as long as there is a need for that and as long as people need help and assistance.”

- Donation drive

The Saudi support was not only official but it also is taking place on the popular level.

The Saudi charge d'affaires said the country’s leadership “ordered the start of a popular campaign for the relief of the quake-affected people in Syria and Türkiye under the slogan (Your Donation Relieves Them) through the official (Sahem) platform.”

The move’s aim is “that the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have the opportunity to support the Turkish people in this path,” he said stating that so far the ongoing donations have exceeded 350 million Saudi riyals ($93.2 million).

“These contributions can be increased in the coming days, insha Allah (Allah willing), and will contribute to helping those affected by the earthquake to return to normal life,” Alharbi said.

- Turkish-Saudi coordination

The Saudi charge d'affaires said there has been coordination between Riyadh and Ankara in providing aid, with meetings taking place between officials from both sides since the just after the disaster.

“Since the arrival of the first team and the first planes, there have been intensive meetings between Saudi officials on the ground in Gaziantep, and between officials in (Turkish disaster management agency) AFAD,” Alharbi added.

He said the close coordination stemmed from the Saudi side with its “interest in directing the aid and search and rescue teams to the right places which have already been damaged and need rescue operations, search and assistance, and quick mobile temporary clinics to treat the injured from the impact of this earthquake.”

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a government and people are always ready to help those affected, and this is what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia always does in providing relief to the affected people, especially friendly countries such as Türkiye,” he explained.