UPDATE- Azerbaijan offers aid as President Aliyev calls President Erdogan amid Türkiye's forest fires

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY

By Utku Simsek

ANKARA (AA) - In the wake of devastating forest fires in Türkiye, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reached out to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a show of solidarity and support on Saturday.

According to a statement from Türkiye's Communications Directorate, President Aliyev expressed his condolences and concern over the ongoing fires that have ravaged various regions in Türkiye.

He assured President Erdogan that Azerbaijan stands ready to assist in the firefighting efforts.

President Aliyev informed President Erdogan that he had already ordered the deployment of a firefighting aircraft to join the efforts in combating the blazes in Türkiye.

President Erdogan expressed his gratitude for the support, emphasizing that the strong brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan is especially evident in challenging times like these.

The two leaders also discussed ongoing bilateral relations, as well as regional and global developments, reinforcing their commitment to standing by each other during crises.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also thanked Baku for its assistance in efforts to extinguish the fires.

"We extend our gratitude to dear Azerbaijan for its valuable support in efforts to extinguish forest fires across our country,” the ministry said on X.

A forest fire that began late Thursday in the province of Izmir rapidly spread due to strong winds, prompting evacuations and extensive firefighting efforts across several districts.

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said efforts to contain the fires continue with 596 vehicles and 2,965 personnel.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said around 900 people were evacuated.​​​​​​​