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Turkey earthquake: Deadly new tremor traps people under rubble

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In Turkey, where another earthquake struck and at least six people were killed, rescuers are once more looking for those who are buried beneath the wreckage. A 6.4 magnitude earthquake that ravaged both countries on February 6 occurred close to Antakya, Turkey, which is located close to the Syrian border.

In Turkey and Syria, the preceding earthquakes left 44,000 people dead and tens of thousands displaced. On Monday, tremor-weakened buildings toppled in both nations. According to Turkey’s disaster and emergency ministry, the 6.4 earthquake struck at a depth of 10 km at 20:04 local time (17:04 GMT) (6.2 miles).

Three minutes later, a 5.8 aftershock occurred, and then dozens of smaller aftershocks followed.

Dr. Fahrettin Koca, the health minister, reported 294 injuries, 18 of them serious.

Since the earthquake occurred in a region that was largely deserted after being severely damaged by the quake on February 6, it is believed that the death toll was comparatively low this time.

As paramedics and rescue teams worked to get to the worst-affected neighbourhoods, where the walls of severely damaged buildings had collapsed, reports from the city of Antakya described terror and panic in the streets.

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Turkey earthquake: Rescue effort ends in all but two areas

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About two weeks after a major earthquake killed tens of thousands of people, Turkey has stopped rescue efforts in all but two provinces, the nation’s disaster agency reported. According to the agency’s leader, searches will continue in Kahramanmaras and Hatay.

On Friday, survivors were still being extracted from the wreckage, but chances of discovering more survivors are dwindling. On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Turkey. He had planned the vacation before the catastrophe.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Kahramanmaras on February 6 had its epicentre there. There have been confirmed fatalities totaling more than 44,000 in northern Syria and southeast Turkey.

With around 345,000 apartments in Turkey reported to have been damaged and numerous others still missing, the death toll is sure to rise. The number of those who are still missing has not been disclosed by Turkey or Syria.

According to Yunus Sezer, the head of the disaster agency, “search and rescue efforts have been concluded in several of our provinces.”

Over 40 structures in the two provinces, he added, were still the subject of search and rescue operations, though he anticipated that this number would decline by Sunday night.

More than 11 days after they were buried by the earthquake, rescuers retrieved at least three individuals from the ruins on Friday.

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Quake-hit Turkey issues 113 building arrest warrants

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According to Turkish authorities, 113 arrest warrants have been issued in relation to the building of the structures that were destroyed by the earthquake on Monday. There have already been at least 12 people detained by Turkish police, including construction workers.

Rescue operations have been hampered in some areas due to protests in southern Turkey. More than 28,000 individuals have now been officially declared dead in Turkey and Syria.

More arrests are anticipated, but many will interpret the move as an effort to shift responsibility for the catastrophe in general.

Since many new buildings in Turkey are unsafe because of widespread corruption and government practises, experts have been warning about this for years.

In order to promote a construction boom, including in earthquake-prone areas, those rules permitted so-called amnesties for contractors who flouted building regulations.

The earthquake caused the collapse of thousands of buildings, prompting concerns about whether human error contributed to the severity of the natural disaster. After 20 years in office, the president’s future is in jeopardy as elections approach.

The United Nations’ top humanitarian official, who was in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras on Saturday, called the earthquake the “worst occurrence in this region in 100 years.”

For the first time in 35 years, the Turkish-Armenian border crossing reopened on Saturday to permit the passage of aid.

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Turkey earthquake: Erdogan announces three-month state of emergency in quake area

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In 10 of the regions most severely impacted by the earthquake that has killed thousands of people, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency.

3,549 people have now died in Turkey, according to Mr. Erdogan. There have reportedly been 1,600 fatalities in Syria. In a televised speech, Mr. Erdogan stated that the purpose of declaring a state of emergency is to allow for “expeditiously carried out” rescue operations in the nation’s southeast.

Without providing more information, he said the steps will get aid personnel and money into the impacted areas. Just prior to the elections on May 14, when Mr. Erdogan will try to retain his position as president after 20 years, the state of emergency will end.

The last time a state of emergency was enacted in Turkey was in 2016 following a failed coup. Two years later, it was repealed. In a race against time to locate survivors of the earthquake that occurred early on Monday, rescuers in Turkey are facing heavy rain and snow.

The World Health Organization has issued a warning that the death toll may sharply increase as rescuers discover additional fatalities.

In scenes that were repeated around southern Turkey, heavy equipment worked through the night in the city of Adana, with lights lighting the collapsed buildings and enormous slabs of concrete.

Occasionally, when a survivor was discovered or when the dead were collected, the labour would stop and a cry of “Allahu Akbar” would be heard.

People who lost their homes as well as others who are afraid of aftershocks are all homeless in Adana. Some people departed without their shoes, coats, or phone chargers. Later this week, temperatures are predicted to fall below freezing.

According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred on Monday at 04:17 (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9 km (11 miles) close to the city of Gaziantep.

Later, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in the Elbistan region of the Kahramanmaras province occurred. The main road leading to the Turkish city of Maras, which is close to the epicentre of the earthquake, was completely stopped in traffic on Tuesday morning.

Cars periodically plodded forward, their red brake lights illuminating the slick road. Only a few rescuers have so far arrived in this region of southern Turkey.

One search and rescue crew, on their way to the city with their van stocked with specialised tools and supplies, told the BBC that while they were excited to start searching for survivors, they were unaware of the extent of the destruction.

According to the most recent announcement from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), 8,000 people have been saved nationwide from more than 4,700 demolished buildings.

Rescuers in some regions have been sifting through the debris with their bare hands as the aftershocks continue. But the cold is making it difficult to conduct searches.

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Syrians used as mercenaries in Nagorno-Karabakh war

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In a shocking report, it is revealed that Syrians were used in the Nagorno-Karabakh war by the European country of Azerbaijan as mercenaries.

The report says that the Syrian mercenaries were recruited at the behest of Turkey. While speaking to media personals, one of those who has been recruited for the war from Syria has reveled that they were cheated by promising lucrative jobs in Azerbaijan. He has alleged that he was promised the job of guard.

There are reports that Armenia also recruited Syrian mercenaries like Azerbaijan. As per the reports, the recruitment process was handled by Russia.

Unsurprisingly, both Russia and Turkey have denounced the reports suggesting their involvement in the recruitment activity.

Likewise, both Azerbaijan and Armenia have declined to accept that they used Syrian mercenaries in the battle for the disputed territory situated between them.

Notably, earlier, there were allegations that Syrians were used in the Libyan civil war.

As per a latest report, at present a recruitment program is going on in Syria for Venezuela.

It is unfortunate that the people of Syrian who were devastated by the Civil War are being exploited.

It is high time to find a solution to the issue.        

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Verdict soon in murder case of former Lebanese PM

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A special court set up in the Netherlands to handle the murder case of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is expected to announce its verdict on the case in the near future.

Originally, there were five accused in the case. One of them, who was a senior commander in Hezbollah, died in the year 2016.

The rest of them has been tried in absentia.

Lawyer who have appeared for the accused have defended their clients, saying that the case was based purely on circumstantial evidence and there was nothing to prove the involvement of their clients in the case beyond the scope of doubt.

The whereabouts of the accused have not yet been released by the court. At present, only their names have been publicised.

The incident actually took place in the year 2005. It has taken almost fifteen years for the court to wind-up its procedure.

The son of the deceased ex-PM, who was also an ex-PM, is expected to attend the court on the day it announces its verdict over the case.

The timing of this verdict is important. The murder of Mr. Hariri was the one which changed the course of the verdict. Now, at the time the Lebanese government is facing its biggest crisis triggered by a surprise bomb blast in the capital city, the verdict may prove as an additional burden over the already embattled government.

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German nightclub case: Around ten refugees found guilty

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As many as ten men, mostly Syrian refugees, have been found guilty in the German nightclub case, which sparked an anti-refugee sentiment in the country.

The lead defendant was awarded a tough punishment of five-year imprisonment. Aroud seven others have been given four-year imprisonment each.

The rest two men has received suspended sentences.

Notably, one person who was arrested in connection with the case was acquitted, as the prosecution has failed to prove the charges against the accused.

Germany was initially welcoming towards migrants. It was the first western country which opened up its borders wholeheartedly towards migrants.

But, the incident overturned everything. It turned a section of population of the country against the idea of allowing refugees inside the country.

The far-rightist politicized the entire incident. It achieved serious political gain from the development. It reflected in the election recently held in the European country of Germany.  

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Trial against Syrian torture regime begins in Germany

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The trial of the first case filed against the Syrian regime against its use of torture and violence has begun in the European country of Germany.

Two men against whom the trial has been initiated are accused of committing crimes against humanity for the state of Syria.

Mr. Anwar R and Eyad A were intelligence officers working for the Syrian government. They in the midst of the Syrian civil war escaped Syria and sought asylum in Germany.

Since the year 2019, they are under the custody of the German government – which has filed a crime against humanity change against them.

Syrian has strongly denied the accusation that they have used torture and violence as a weapon to run the government smoothly.

Nonetheless, several human rights reports stay contrary to the claim made by the Syrian government supported by Russia, Iran and Iraq.

Neither the two persons, who remain in the custody of Germany, nor their legal representatives, have commended on the matter yet.

The case is very serious in nature. It is to be seen how Germany will handle the crisis. It is also unclear how other western countries will react to the trial initiated against a sovereign country – the reaction of Russia and Turkey will be very crucial in this matter.


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Greece denies Turkey’s allegation about migrant killing

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The European country of Greece has strongly denied Turkey’s allegation that a migrant from the embattled Middle East country of Syria was shot to death by the Greece Security Force.

Turkey made the allegation immediately after it had announced that it would not prevent the flow of migrants to Europe in future.

Recently, a confrontation has happened between migrants and the Greece Security Force near the border which Turkey shares with Greece.

During the confrontation, the security force has used force against migrants. The confrontation has left several people badly injured.  

Europe faces a serious migrant crisis at this moment. Greece, which shares a border with Turkey, is one of the most vulnerable countries in the region.

Turkey’s latest action is part of a strategy it has developed post the death of its soldiers in Syria in a confrontation with the Syrian force supported by Russia.

Turkey wants the Europe to take a favourable stand towards the country, which struggles to maintain its influence in the northern region of Syria.

What Turkey tries at present is a pressure tactics. The possibility for the tactics to go wrong is not low.

The re-emergence of migrant crisis means the Europe can no longer remain insensitive about the development.


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Around 33 Turkish soldiers killed in Syria

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In a military action, as many as thirty-three Turkish soldiers have been killed in the Middle East country of Syria, which is at present in a disturbed state.

The action has been carried out by the Syrian government. The Syrian government is supported by the Russian government.

The action has taken place in the Idlib province of Syria. The region is at present controlled by certain rebel groups supported by the Turkish government.

The latest attack has been carried out to reclaim the territory from the Turkish-backed rebel forces.

The Turkish force may retaliate in the near future. There are reports that the Turkish forces are preparing to retaliate.

The Turkish government has not yet responded to the report yet. They have indirectly admitted the loss they have suffered.

Syria is at present in a highly volatile state. It has not yet recovered by the disturbance emerged in the country with the rise of certain terrorist organisations.

The country is at present controlled by various rebel organisations. Some of these organisations are supported by foreign countries.

Actually, these organisations are used as proxies by foreign countries to maintain their influence in the country.

Turkey is one such country which uses its rebel proxy to maintain its control over the strategically important region of Syria.


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