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Blinken Tours Turkey’s Earthquake Zone and Commits Extra $100 Million in Aid: NPR


U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ride in a helicopter to tour earthquake-stricken areas, in Turkey, Sunday.

Clodagh Kilcoyne/AP


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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ride in a helicopter to tour earthquake-stricken areas, in Turkey, Sunday.

Clodagh Kilcoyne/AP

ISTANBUL — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took a helicopter tour on Sunday to one of the provinces hardest hit by the February 6 earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria. pledged an additional $100 million in aid to help the region.

“This is going to be a long-term effort,” said Blinken at Incirlik Air Force Base, a joint US-Turkish facility that coordinates the distribution of disaster aid. “Unfortunately, the search and rescue is coming to an end. Recovery is ongoing, and then there will be a large-scale rebuilding operation.”

President Joe Biden announced $85 million for Turkey and Syria days after an earthquake that killed more than 44,000 people in the two countries. The US has also sent a search and rescue team, supplies and medical equipment.

Blinken said the additional aid includes $50 million for emergency migration and refugee funds and $50 million in humanitarian assistance.

The US secretary of state is on his first trip to NATO ally Turkey since he took office two years ago. Blinken arrived at Incirlik Air Base, near Adana, on Sunday after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

He toured Turkey’s Hatay province from the air with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. He is expected to meet US and Turkish service members, as well as Turkish military families affected by the earthquake.

Troops load aid into a vehicle as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Incirlik Air Base near Adana, Turkey, on Sunday.

Clodagh Kilcoyne/Clodagh Kilcoyne/Pool via AP


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Troops load aid into a vehicle as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Incirlik Air Base near Adana, Turkey, on Sunday.

Clodagh Kilcoyne/Clodagh Kilcoyne/Pool via AP

“When you see the extent of the damage, the number of buildings, the number of apartments, the number of houses destroyed, it’s going to take a massive effort to rebuild,” the top US diplomat said after the tour. by helicopter.

“The most important thing right now is to support those who need it, get them through the winter and get them back on their feet,” Blinken said as nearby troops unloaded boxes of relief supplies. “We’ll stick with it until we get the job done.”

Incirlik, home to US Air Force Base 39, is an important logistics hub for aid distribution. Supplies from around the world were flown to the base and sent by truck and helicopter to those in need, including hard-to-reach villages.

Blinken will fly to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, late Sunday for discussions with Turkish officials on Monday, including a scheduled meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. As well as the effects of the earthquake, Blinken is expected to discuss Sweden and Finland’s efforts to join NATO, which Turkey has delayed.

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