Foreign Aid Flows Into Turkey and Syria After Earthquake, From Both Allies and Adversaries
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Foreign aid poured into Turkey and Syria — from U.S. allies and adversaries alike — after earthquakes killed tens of thousands in the region.
Key Players: On Thursday, the U.S. pledged another $85 million in humanitarian assistance. The U.N. released $25 million in emergency funds, and China committed 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in initial humanitarian assistance. Teams of firefighters and search-and-rescue personnel came to Turkey from the U.S., the U.K., the E.U., Australia, Israel, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Japan, China, and more. Mexico sent its famous search dog team. Middle Eastern neighbors like Iraq, Iran, and Egypt also delivered emergency aid. Both Russia and Ukraine contributed to relief efforts; a former Chechen commander who allegedly committed war crimes in Ukraine also led Russia’s rescue efforts in Turkey. Even the Taliban said it would send $165,000 in aid.
For Context: While Turkey has been the primary focus of relief efforts, others have voiced particular concern for Syria, which had already been battered by a deadly civil war. Only one border crossing is presently open between Turkey and Syria, and until Thursday, it would reportedly only allow relief workers to transport bodies — not aid. Regular U.N. aid shipments finally arrived in opposition-held Idlib on Thursday, as cold temperatures deepened the humanitarian crisis.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage of rescue efforts and international aid was widespread across the spectrum. Fox News (Right bias) stood out by highlighting reports of narcotics smuggling in aid shipments or concerns about potential Iranian arms smuggling.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
‘Secondary disaster’ looms as UN aid finally reaches survivors battling frozen conditions in SyriaSurvivors of Monday’s earthquake in Turkey and Syria could face “a secondary disaster” as cold and snow lead to “worsening and horrific conditions,” the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, WHO incident response manager Robert Holden warned there were “a lot of people” surviving “out in the open, in worsening and horrific conditions.”
“We’ve got major disruptions to basic water supplies, we’ve got major disruption to fuel, electricity supplies, communication supplies, the basics of life,” Holden said.
“We are in real danger of...
From the Center
US pledges $85m for Turkey-Syria earthquake reliefThe top humanitarian aid agency in the US government has pledged $85m (£70m) in urgent life-saving relief for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding will go towards shelter, cold weather supplies, food, water and healthcare.
The moves comes as countries around the world send search crews and aid to the region, where over 20,000 have died.
Rescuers say supplies are needed now or more people will die from the cold.
In a statement on Thursday, USAID said it is also providing "hygiene...
From the Right
U.S. Officials Send Earthquake Aid To Turkey, Joining International Support ResponseU.S. Military officials said Tuesday that the United States European Command has begun sending aid to Turkey and Syria after two massive earthquakes rocked both nations within the past 24 hours, killing thousands of people.
“Using a whole of government approach, we remain in close contact with our Turkish Ally to determine what assistance is needed to help those affected by the disaster,” Marine Lt. Col. Garron J. Garn said in a statement to Military Times.
Two earthquakes, which reached 7.8 and 7.5 magnitudes, devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, leaving an estimated 3,000 structures...
AllSides Picks
March 27th, 2024
March 28th, 2024