As rescue efforts continue 250 hours after the massive earthquakes that struck southeast Turkey and northern Syria on 6 February, the combined death toll has risen to 43,844.
Turkish President Erdoğan allegedly halted all emergency AFAD operations and made the agency wait for further instructions, due to being infuriated with ministers for deciding emergency measures without his consent in the early hours following the earthquakes.
Thousands of Syrian refugees living in Turkey temporarily returned to Syria on Wednesday, after Syrian border officials announced that Turkey will allow Syrian refugees living in the earthquake zone in Turkey to return to their homeland.
The Peoples’ Democratic Party called on the international community to closely follow the government’s blocking of social solidarity networks and hindering of humanitarian aid provision after authorities confiscated the party’s earthquake relief materials the previous day.
Alevi organisations and NGOs in the region affected by last week’s earthquakes in southern Turkey call for dignified treatment of the mourners and the deceased.
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