Blinken visits disaster-hit Türkiye, pledges $100M in aid
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited Türkiye following the February 6 twin earthquakes in the country that also affected northern Syria, and pledged a further $100 million in aid to help the region.
“This is going to be a long-term effort,” Blinken said at Incirlik Air Base, a joint US-Turkish facility that has coordinated the distribution of disaster aid, after taking a helicopter tour of one of the worst affected provinces on Sunday.
“When you see the extent of the damage, the number of buildings, the number of apartments, the number of homes that have been destroyed, it’s going to take a massive effort to rebuild,” the top US diplomat said.
US President Joe Biden announced $85 million for Türkiye and Syria days after the earthquake that has killed more than 46,500 people in the two countries.
The US has also sent a search and rescue team, medical supplies and equipment. The additional aid includes $50 million in emergency refugee and migration funds and $50 million in humanitarian assistance, Blinken said.
