Gempa kembali guncang Turki, berpusat di Hatay

Gempa lain kembali melanda wilayah perbatasan Turki dan Suriah pada hari Senin, menewaskan sedikitnya tiga orang dan terjadi dua minggu setelah daerah itu dihancurkan oleh gempa besar yang menewaskan hampir 45.000 orang.

Gempa Senin berkekuatan 6,4 dan berpusat di kota Defne, di provinsi Hatay Turki, daerah yang rusak parah akibat gempa 6 Februari.

Gempa baru dirasakan di beberapa negara, termasuk Suriah, Yordania, Lebanon dan Mesir, dan diikuti oleh gempa berkekuatan 5,8 skala Richter.

Menteri Dalam Negeri Turki Suleyman Soylu mengatakan tiga orang tewas dan lebih dari 200 lainnya luka-luka.

Gempa itu tercatat sembilan kilometer dari kota Turki Antakya di provinsi Hatay dan 75 kilometer dari Latakia Suriah.

Sementara itu, media Turki melaporkan lebih banyak kehancuran menyusul gempa di Hatay, yang telah berubah menjadi puing-puing akibat gempa dahsyat yang mengguncang negara itu pada 6 Februari.

Tak lama kemudian, badan penanggulangan bencana Turki AFAD melaporkan gempa kedua di Hatay, kali ini berkekuatan 5,8.

Sementara itu, EMSC menyebutkan bahwa selain Turkiye dan Suriah, gempa dirasakan di Lebanon, Siprus, dan Israel.

Menteri Kesehatan Turkiye Mengatakan Gempa Baru-Baru Ini di Provinsi Hatay Melukai Sekitar 300 Orang

Hampir 300 orang terluka, termasuk 18 orang dalam kondisi kritis, akibat gempa bumi baru yang melanda wilayah perbatasan Suriah dan Turki pada Senin, kata Menteri Kesehatan Turki Fahrettin Koca pada Selasa.

“Akibat dua gempa bumi yang terjadi di Hatay, kami memiliki 294 korban. Sayangnya, delapan belas di antaranya dalam kondisi serius. Setelah menerima pertolongan pertama, mereka diangkut ke (kota) Adana dan Dortyol melalui udara dan darat," kata Koca di Twitter.

Petugas penyelamat sedang mencari di beberapa bangunan yang runtuh di Hatay di mana orang diyakini terjebak.

Kantor berita negara Suriah, SANA, melaporkan bahwa enam orang terluka di Aleppo.

Juga hari Senin, konvoi PBB yang membawa persediaan bantuan melewati perbatasan yang baru dibuka untuk menyeberang ke Suriah di Al-Ra'ee.

Juru bicara PBB Stephane Dujarric mengatakan sekarang ada tiga penyeberangan perbatasan yang beroperasi penuh bagi PBB untuk memasuki Suriah.

Dia mengatakan PBB sekarang telah mengirim 227 truk ke daerah yang dikuasai pemberontak di Suriah barat laut dan mengatakan persiapan sedang dilakukan untuk mengirim lebih banyak truk melalui ketiga penyeberangan perbatasan.

Di Turki, Presiden Recep Tayyip Erdogan mengunjungi Hatay pada Senin pagi dan mengatakan pemerintahnya akan mulai bulan depan untuk membangun hampir 200.000 rumah baru di provinsi tersebut.

Juga hari Senin, Erdogan bertemu di Ankara dengan mengunjungi Menteri Luar Negeri AS Antony Blinken, yang sehari sebelumnya mengumumkan janji AS sebesar $100 juta bantuan tambahan untuk Turki dan Suriah.

Dia mengatakan PBB sekarang telah mengirim 227 truk ke daerah yang dikuasai pemberontak di Suriah barat laut dan mengatakan persiapan sedang dilakukan untuk mengirim lebih banyak truk melalui ketiga penyeberangan perbatasan.

Di Turki, Presiden Recep Tayyip Erdogan mengunjungi Hatay pada Senin pagi dan mengatakan pemerintahnya akan mulai bulan depan untuk membangun hampir 200.000 rumah baru di provinsi tersebut.

Juga hari Senin, Erdogan bertemu di Ankara dengan mengunjungi Menteri Luar Negeri AS Antony Blinken, yang sehari sebelumnya mengumumkan janji AS sebesar $100 juta bantuan tambahan untuk Turki dan Suriah.

China mendukung draf resolusi Rusia tentang ledakan Nord Stream — duta besar PBB

Wakil Tetap Tiongkok untuk PBB Zhang Jun
©AP Photo/Seth Wenig

China mendukung rancangan resolusi Rusia yang diajukan ke Dewan Keamanan PBB untuk menyelidiki serangan teroris terhadap sistem gas Nord Stream Rusia, kata Zhang Jun, Perwakilan Tetap China untuk PBB, kepada wartawan, Senin.

Dokumen tersebut dapat dilakukan pemungutan suara minggu ini, Rusia telah meminta pertemuan Dewan Keamanan PBB mengenai situasi dengan saluran pipa pada 22 Februari 2023.

"Tentu saja" kata diplomat tersebut.

"Kami mendengar seruan dari anggota Dewan Keamanan untuk menyelidiki ledakan tersebut. Kami melihat permintaan itu sah," tambah diplomat China itu. "Kami mendukung untuk mengadakan diskusi DK dan juga untuk mengambil tindakan yang tepat untuk memastikan bahwa kami memiliki gambaran yang jelas tentang apa yang terjadi dan kemudian meminta pertanggungjawaban mereka yang telah melakukannya," kata Zhang Jun.

Pada 17 Februari 2023, Rusia mengajukan draf resolusi Dewan Keamanan PBB untuk menyelidiki serangan teroris terhadap sistem gas. Ini mengusulkan agar sekretaris jenderal PBB membentuk komisi pengacara internasional independen untuk menyelidiki sabotase.

Menurut sumber TASS, dokumen tersebut menekankan bahwa para pengacara harus tidak memihak dan memiliki pengakuan dan pengalaman internasional. Komisi juga harus memasukkan jumlah ahli yang diperlukan. Jika resolusi diadopsi, Sekjen PBB akan membuat laporan kepada Dewan Keamanan PBB tentang modalitas konkrit pembentukan komisi dalam waktu 14 hari.

Menurut sumber TASS, dokumen tersebut menekankan bahwa para pengacara harus tidak memihak dan memiliki pengakuan dan pengalaman internasional. Komisi juga harus memasukkan jumlah ahli yang diperlukan. Jika resolusi diadopsi, Sekjen PBB akan membuat laporan kepada Dewan Keamanan PBB tentang modalitas konkrit pembentukan komisi dalam waktu 14 hari.

Teks dokumen yang diusulkan juga mengutuk fakta bahwa sejumlah pihak yang berkepentingan, termasuk operator pipa, tidak diizinkan untuk berpartisipasi dalam penyelidikan ledakan tersebut.

Pada tanggal 27 September 2022, Nord Stream AG melaporkan kerusakan yang belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya yang terjadi sehari sebelumnya pada tiga rangkaian pipa gas lepas pantai Nord Stream 1 dan Nord Stream 2. Pada 26 September, seismolog Swedia mencatat dua ledakan di jalur pipa. Kantor Kejaksaan Agung Rusia meluncurkan kasus pidana berdasarkan tuduhan terorisme internasional.

Seorang juru bicara Kementerian Luar Negeri China juga mencatat bagaimana AS menjadi "luar biasa diam" setelah Seymour Hersh menyebut Washington sebagai penyebab sebenarnya di balik ledakan yang menghancurkan Nord Stream.

Beijing mendukung rancangan resolusi Rusia kepada Dewan Keamanan PBB tentang pembentukan komisi untuk menyelidiki sabotase pipa Nord Stream, Perwakilan Tetap China untuk PBB Zhang Jun mengatakan kepada wartawan.

Sebelumnya pada hari itu, juru bicara Kementerian Luar Negeri China Wang Wenbin mengatakan bahwa komunitas internasional memiliki hak untuk menuntut penyelidikan menyeluruh atas penghancuran Nord Stream.

Diplomat China tersebut menunjukkan bahwa ledakan yang menghancurkan tiga dari empat pipa yang terdiri dari proyek Nord Stream dan Nord Stream 2 telah berdampak sangat negatif pada pasar energi global dan juga lingkungan.

Oleh karena itu, Wang Wenbin berpendapat, penyelidikan yang “objektif, tidak memihak, dan profesional” atas masalah ini harus dilakukan.

Selama konferensi pers reguler minggu lalu, Wang juga menarik perhatian pada reaksi Amerika Serikat terhadap sabotase Nord Stream dan bagaimana hal itu berubah setelah pengungkapan Seymour Hersh awal bulan ini.

"Mengapa (AS) vokal tentang penyelidikan dan pertanggungjawaban segera setelah ledakan Nord Stream, namun sangat diam setelah laporan investigasi terbaru yang ditulis oleh seorang jurnalis AS?" dia bertanya.

Pekan lalu, Misi Rusia untuk PBB meminta pertemuan Dewan Keamanan PBB mengenai serangan Nord Stream pada 22 Februari.

Pada bulan Februari 2023, jurnalis investigasi Seymour Hersh merilis sebuah paparan tentang penghancuran Nord Stream, mengklaim bahwa pipa tersebut diledakkan oleh Amerika Serikat dengan bantuan dari Norwegia.

Menurut pengungkapan Hersh, penyelam angkatan laut AS menanam bahan peledak di jalur pipa selama musim panas 2022 dengan kedok latihan militer NATO di Laut Baltik, dengan tuduhan dipicu dari jarak jauh tiga bulan kemudian untuk menghindari kecurigaan.

China supports Russia's draft resolution on Nord Stream blasts — UN ambassador

China's Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun
©AP Photo/Seth Wenig

China supports Russia's draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council to investigate the terrorist attack on Russia’s Nord Stream gas system, Zhang Jun, China's Permanent Representative to the UN, told reporters on Monday.

The document may be put to the vote this week, Russia has requested a UN Security Council meeting on the situation with the pipelines for February 22.

"Of course" the diplomat said.

"We heard the call from members of the Security Council to have investigation over the explosion. We see that request is legitimate," the Chinese diplomat added. " We are supportive to have the SC discussions and also to take appropriate actions to make sure that we have a clear picture on what happened and then to get those who have done that, accountable," Zhang Jun said.

On February 17, Russia submitted a draft UN Security Council resolution to investigate the terrorist attack on the gas system. It proposes that the UN secretary general create an independent international commission of lawyers to investigate the sabotage.

According to a TASS source, the document stresses that the lawyers should be impartial and have international recognition and experience. The commission also should include the necessary number of experts. If the resolution is adopted, the UN secretary general is to make a report to the UN Security Council about concrete modalities of creating the commission within 14 days.

The text of the proposed document also condemns the fact that a number of interested parties, including the pipeline operator, were not allowed to participate in the probe into the blasts.

On September 27, 2022, Nord Stream AG reported unprecedented damage that occurred the day before on three strings of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipelines. On September 26, Swedish seismologists registered two explosions on the pipeline routes. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal case based on charges of international terrorism.

A spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted how the US became "unusually silent" after Seymour Hersh named Washington as the real culprit behind the explosions that took out Nord Stream.

Beijing supports the Russian draft resolution to the UN Security Council on the establishment of a commission to investigate the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun told reporters.

Earlier in the day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the international community has the right to demand a thorough investigation of Nord Stream’s destruction.

The Chinese diplomat pointed out that the explosions that ruptured three of the four pipelines that comprise the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 projects has had a seriously negative effect on global energy markets and on the environment as well.

Therefore, Wang Wenbin argued, an “objective, impartial and professional” investigation into this matter should be conducted.

During a regular press conference last week, Wang also drew attention to the United States' reaction to the Nord Stream sabotage and how it changed after Seymour Hersh's revelations earlier this month.

"Why was it (the US) vocal about investigations and accountability immediately after the Nord Stream blast, and yet unusually silent in the wake of the latest investigative report written by a US journalist?" he inquired.

Last week, the Russian Mission to the UN requested a UN Security Council meeting on the Nord Stream attacks for February 22.

In February, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh released an expose on the Nord Stream’s destruction, claiming that the pipelines were blown up by the United States with assistance from Norway.

According to Hersh’s revelations, US navy divers planted explosives on the pipelines during summer 2022 under the cover of a NATO military exercise in the Baltic Sea, with the charges being triggered remotely three months later in order to avoid suspicion.

Russia’s top investigator eyes 10 US citizens for creating bioweapons in Ukraine

©AP Photo/Libkos

The Russian Investigative Committee is looking into ten US citizens and some officials of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in connection with their involvement in the creation of biological weapons on Ukrainian territory, Chief of Russia's Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin told TASS in an interview.

According to him, the ministry continues to gather and document evidence of Ukraine's violation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction.

"At present, more than 10 US citizens, as well as a number of Ukrainian Defense Ministry officials, are being checked for involvement in double-purpose biological programs," Bastrykin said.

He explained that the main source of evidence to this day remains data from the Russian Defense Ministry obtained during the special military operation, as well as the results of operational and investigative activities.

Last July, Igor Kirillov, the chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, presented a report, according to which a network of more than 30 biolaboratories, both research and sanitary and epidemiological ones, had been created on the Ukrainian territory. According to the report, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) ordered the execution of this work.

Per the Defense Ministry, the activity was carried out in three main directions: monitoring of the biological situation, selection and transfer of strains and biomaterials, including those obtained from servicemen, as well as research of potential bioweapons agents specific to the region. The authors of the Russian Defense Ministry report said that under the pretext of testing treatment and prevention of coronavirus infection, several thousand serum samples from patients, "primarily of Slavic ethnic origin," were taken from Ukraine to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in the US.

Seizure of Artyomovsk in Donbass is matter of time, says DPR

The seizure of Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut by Ukraine) is a matter of time but Russian troops should not hurry to capture the town, Yan Gagin, military-political expert and adviser to the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), told TASS on Monday.

"As for the prospects of liberating Artyomovsk, I believe that we should not hurry. When I am asked about why it takes so long, I simply invite such people to the frontline: come and see what it looks like to be here to understand why we are moving forward so slowly. We are now trying to spare personnel and strike the enemy manpower as accurately as possible. By and large, the seizure of Artyomovsk is a matter of time but I would not hurry and would keep grinding down the enemy. This is practicable and this has already been tested," he said.

Contrary to the Kiev’s regime’s hype about Artyomovsk as "a fortress city and a place where they will be able to show the courage and steadfastness of their soldiers," it has become "a point of disposing of Ukrainian servicemen," Gagin stressed.

"They have lost thousands and thousands of fighters there. On some days, they lose a hundred of personnel a day, which is a heavy toll on this section of the frontline. The bodies [of those killed] are not collected and they just lie on the battlefield," he added.

Artyomovsk is located on the Kiev-controlled territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic and is a major supply hub for the Ukrainian military in Donbass. Russian troops have already seized some communities in Artyomovsk suburbs, including Kleshcheyevka, Podgorodnoye and Paraskoviyevka.

Russian forces gradually tightening grip on Artyomovsk in Donbass, says DPR

Russian forces are gradually encircling Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut by Ukraine) and are preparing to deliver strikes on the town’s western portion, Yan Gagin, military-political expert and adviser to the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), told TASS on Monday.

"Urban battles are already raging in Artyomovsk. If we look at the map of the ongoing battles, Artyomovsk is being closed in on and is half-encircled," he said.

Russian troops are currently preparing for artillery bombardments of the town’s western portion but its observation is impeded so far, he said.

"In practical terms, when we see a target or an object, we can take aim at it and so on. That is, we have made preparations for our artillery to reach that part of the town. For the time being, we cannot yet reach it because we need to observe targets to take aim at," he said.

Artyomovsk is located on the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic and is a major supply hub for the Ukrainian military in Donbass. Russian troops have already seized some communities in Artyomovsk suburbs, including Kleshcheyevka, Podgorodnoye and Paraskoviyevka.

Tim SAR berhasil evakuasi kecelakaan helikopter kapolda Jambi

Persiapan untuk melakuka evakuasi udara oleh Tim SAR gabungan TNI, Polri dan Basarnas di Muara Emat, Kerinci, Jambi, Senin, 20/2/23.(ANTARA/HO/Basarnas)

Rombongan Kapolda Jambi, Irjen Pol Rusdi Hartono yang mengalami kecelakaan helikopter di kawasan perbukitan Tamiai, Muara Emat Kabupaten Kerinci, pada, hari Minggu, 19/02/2023, telah berhasil di temukan oleh Tim SAR gabungan Polri, TNI dan Basarnas, pada hari Senin, 20/2/2023.

Dasil rekaman video dari tim SAR di lokasi kejadian, tampak Kapolda Jambi dan dua direktur, sepripim dan kru helikopter telah mendapatkan bantuan dan sudah mengenakan perlengkapan selimut dan logistik lainnya yang telah diturunkan dari helikopter evakuasi.

Untuk mempermudah percepatan evakuasi dan pertolongan pada rombongan kapolda Jambi, saat ini tim gabungan tengah membersihkan lokasi sekitar kejadian.

Disampaikan juga jika cuaca sangat mendukung untuk dilakukan evakuasi terhadap para korban melalui udara .

Kapolda Jambi Irjen Pol Rusdi Hartono dan tujuh orang lainnya yang menjadi korban jatuhnya helikopter Polri di Hutan Tamiai Kerinci akhirnya ditemukan oleh tim SAR yang berhasil mencapai lokasi kecelakaan. Menurut laporan, semua korban sudah langsung dibantu mengenakan perlengkapan selimut yang diterjunkan dari helikopter evakuasi.

Diketahui operasi SAR terhadap rombongan Kapolda Jambi, dua direktur, Sepripim, ADC, dan tiga kru helikopter terungkap dalam laporan berbentuk rekaman video berdurasi satu menit 14 detik.

Lebih lanjut, tim SAR gabungan Polri, TNI, dan Basarnas segera membersihkan lokasi sekitar jatuhnya helikopter yang bertujuan untuk bisa melakukan evakuasi secepatnya.

Lahan sekitar lokasi kejadian digambarkan penuh dengan semak belukar sehingga memang harus dilakukan pembersihan agar tersedianya jalur helikopter yang dapat membawa para korban.

Menurut sosok yang membuat rekaman itu, kondisi Kapolda Jambi mengalami luka patah tangan kanan, sedangkan dua pejabat utama Dirpolairud dan Dirum, serta pilot dilaporkan mengalami patah kaki.

"Cuaca pagi ini cukup mendukung untuk dilakukan evakuasi terhadap para korban melalui udara dan mudah-mudahan bisa berjalan lancar," ujar suara perekam video itu.

Kapolda Jambi beserta rombongan semula berencana mengunjungi Kota Sungai Penuh untuk dua agenda, tetapi ternyata mendapat musibah usai helikopter yang ditumpanginya jatuh di Desa Tamiai, Kecamatan Batangan Merangin, Kabupaten Kerinci pada Minggu, 19 Februari 2023 sekira pukul 11.00 WIB.

Diketahui, 8 penumpang dalam helikopter nahas itu yakni Kapolda Jambi Irjen Pol. Rusdi Hartono, Dirreskrimum Polda Jambi Kombes Pol. Andri Ananta, Dirpolairud Polda Jambi Kombes Pol. Michael Bumbunan, Koorspri Kompol A Yani, dan seorang ADC Kapolda Jambi. Sedangkan, penerbangan helikopter itu dilakukan tiga kru yang bertugas yaitu AKP Ali, AKP Amos F, dan Aipda Susilo.

Beberapa upaya evakuasi dilakukan tim SAR gabungan baik lewat jalur udara maupun lewat jalur darat dengan berjalan kaki. Namun, kedua metode evakuasi memiliki kendala masing-masing seperti datangnya guyuran hujan.

Sementara, jalur darat dengan berjalan kaki membutuhkan waktu cukup lama, perjalanan malam tadi baru tiba ke lokasi pada siang ini.

Penerjunan tim dari Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) Kerinci contohnya, aksi itu dilakukan melalui jalur darat yang cukup sulit lantaran lokasi kecelakaan yang jauh dari permukiman warga.

"Sekarang personel sudah menuju ke lokasi, anggota kita juga sudah turun ke lokasi untuk melakukan pencarian, di sana sinyal sulit, karena jauh sekali dari pemukiman," ujar Kepala BPBD Kerinci, Dedy, dalam kesempatan baru-baru ini.

Kombes Mulia memastikan 8 korban termasuk kru dan penumpang dalam kondisi sadar. Namun saat ini, tim SAR belum bisa diturunkan karena masih akan mengambil peralatan evakuasi lainnya.

"(Heli bantuan logistik) Balik ke Jambi ambil perlengkapan Noise nanti bergabung dengan Heli bantuan Mabes yang akan tiba di Jambi pagi ini," sebutnya.

Nantinya helikopter Polda Sumsel dan helikopter bantuan Mabes Polri akan bersama-sama ke lokasi untuk mengirimkan bantuan personel

Saudi Relief Center on Syria Sanctions: Humanitarian Matters Should Be Separate From Rest

©AP Photo / Jon Gambrell

Humanitarian matters should be separate from any other issues, Abdullah Al Rabeeah, the Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), said, commenting on the impact of the sanctions against Syria on the earthquake response in the country.

When asked whether the sanctions against Syria have been challenging the work of his relief center in Syria, Al Rabeeah told reporters, "I believe in general that when there is a disaster … we should split a humanitarian from any other motive." He said that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has been working with the Red Crescent in Syria and has not faced any restrictions.

"We have seen good response," Al Rabeeah told reporters.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said earlier this month that sanctions should not interfere with humanitarian assistance to the Syrians. On February 9, the US Treasury also issued a general license, which authorized for 180 days all transactions related to earthquake relief that would be otherwise prohibited due to sanctions.

Parts of Turkey and Syria were hit by a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks on February 6. According to the Syrian Health Ministry, the final death toll from the earthquake stands at over 1,400 people, while at least 2,357 others were injured.

However, this data covers only government-controlled territories. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has estimated the number of deaths in northwest Syria, which is not controlled by Damascus, stands at 5,000.

Dozens of NGOs From 50 States, UN Officials Arrive in Riyadh to Discuss Humanitarian Gaps

Some 60 organizations from about 50 countries as well as UN representatives have arrived in Riyadh for a humanitarian conference where numerous agreements are expected to be signed and important announcements to be made, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Supervisor-General Abdullah Al Rabeeah said on Sunday.

"We hope that we will concentrate on the gaps that exist in the humanitarian field," Al Rabeeah said ahead of the event.

Al Rabeeah also said that the forum served as a platform where the participants would not only talk, but will try to make change in the ground.

"There will be a lot of announcements… lots of also side agreements and projects that will be signed at the forum," the supervisor-general added.

The two-day 3rd Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum will kick off on Monday with the speeches of UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Filippo Grandi High Commissioner for Refugees among others who will speak about the evolving humanitarian landscape for 2023 and beyond. The forum is taking place amid numerous conflicts around the world and in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Other topics for discussions will include conflict, forced displacement, risks exploitation as well as strengthening local community resilience, the impact of pandemics in conflict and anticipating crises and taking early action in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, among others.

SAUDI RESPONSE TO EARTHQUAKE

Al Rabeeah pointed out that besides the immediate the response from the government, there was also a public involvement aimed at helping those affected by the disaster.

"There was a fundraising project, and I just heard that it has passed $120 million, this is from the public," he noted.

Al Rabeeah went on to say that to date there have been some 14 airplanes sent by Riyadh to the affected areas in Turkey and Syria.

"We decided to reach Syria from the north and also from Aleppo," he said. The supervisor-general also said that they had revived the support from ten local governments, humanitarian partners and the NGOs and that Saudi Arabia Glauber sent verified rescue teams, first responder and medical emergency teams.

Moreover, Al Rabeeah added that they have been sending a lot of tents, but noted that they were good only for short term.

"We have identified a contractor that will help us with rapid, we call them transit homes. 3,000 units will be built quickly," he said. He added that they were discussing to have half of those in Turkey and half in Syria.

Al Rabeeah also shared that at the moment they had about 3,000 volunteers on the ground and expected to have up to 10,000, including medical personnel.

He noted that now the emotional and chaotic response was improving on the ground, moving to science-based, and that there was more coordination. Parts of Turkey and Syria were hit by a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks on February 6. More than 41,000 people died and 108,000 others were injured in the earthquakes that rocked southern Turkey. Over 2,000 people died in neighboring Syria and hundreds of thousands have been displaced across the region.

SAUDI ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE

Al Rabeeah noted that the center has been supporting the Ukrainian refugees in Poland and other countries. "Our work is humanitarian and not linked to any political or religious motives," Al Rabeeah said.

He also said that they were working with their humanitarian partners who identified the needs for the refugees, including food, water, medical supplies, and shelters, among others.

The United Nations' agencies for humanitarian and refugee affairs appealed on Wednesday for $5 billion in humanitarian aid to help more than 15 million of Ukrainians affected by the conflict.

According to the statement, $3.9 billion out of this sum is requested under the Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine to provide 11.1 million people with food and medicines.

The remainder in the amount of $1.7 billion will be used to help 4.2 million Ukrainian refugees hosted in 10 countries – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia – under the Refugee Response Plan, the statement added.