UAE pledges $100 million in quake reduction to Syria, Turkiye

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates Tuesday pledged $100 million to Syria and Turkiye , one of many largest sums but following an enormous earthquake that killed greater than 5,400 individuals throughout each nations.

The oil-rich Gulf nation – which had already pledged some $13.6 million to Syria – is spearheading regional reduction efforts, having dispatched planes to each nations with reduction objects and rescue groups following the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck early Monday.

Earthquake rescue work strikes slowly in Turkiye, Syria as dying toll passes 5,000

On Tuesday, Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan “ordered the availability of $100 million for the reduction of these affected”, the official WAM information company mentioned.

The sum could be equally break up between Syria and Turkiye , with every getting $50 million, in accordance with the information company.

It was not instantly clear if the funds for Syria included the $13.6 million beforehand introduced.

Main Common Saleh al-Ameri, commander of joint operations on the UAE’s defence ministry, mentioned Tuesday that three army planes had been dispatched to Turkiye , carrying search and rescue groups who’ve since commenced operations.

A complete of seven flights are deliberate to the quake-hit nations, together with two to the Syrian capital Damascus, he advised native media.

Syria’s official SANA information company mentioned Tuesday that an Emirati aircraft carrying 10 tonnes of meals provides had arrived on the Damascus worldwide airport.

The UAE reopened its embassy within the Syrian capital in December 2018, suggesting an effort to carry Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime again into the Arab fold after years of boycott.

In March final yr, Assad made a go to to the UAE – his first to an Arab state in additional than a decade of brutal civil warfare.