Iraqi Parliament asks gov't for joint op. room to help Turkey, Syria

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The Iraqi parliament called in a statement on Tuesday the country's government to form a joint operations room to open the borders and receive the victims of the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey, which resulted in the death of more than 5,000 people and the injury of more than 23,000 others.

"We received with great sadness and sorrow the news about the earthquakes that struck the Syrian Arab Republic and the neighboring Republic of Turkey," the statement said.

"While we express our sincere condolences and sympathy to the Syrian and Turkish people, we, in Iraq in general and the Iraqi Parliament in particular, declare our support for the Syrian people and the Turkish people. We call on the Iraqi government to provide all possible relief," it added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Popular Mobilization Forces headed towards the cities of northern Syria, in order to participate in operations to rescue citizens from under the rubble and recover bodies as a result of the earthquake disaster, in response to the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

In this context, Iraqi platforms have launched an initiative for popular response to earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, and the Iraqi Red Crescent delivered emergency food bundles.

Iraqi Red Crescent : The first shipment of aid has landed in Syria, while the relief team has arrived in Turkey. https://t.co/KTqG5yj1GX#Earthquake pic.twitter.com/edhRNZwTk1

— الهلال الاحمر العراقي (@iraqircs) February 7, 2023

The Iraqi Red Crescent also sent a convoy of relief supplies to Syria.

On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani announced the opening of a humanitarian airbridge with Syria and Turkey to deliver life-saving aid, including emergency medical supplies, first aid, shelter, and relief supplies, as well as medicine and fuel.

After the earthquake that shook the region, killing thousands in Turkey and Syria, thousands of rescue workers were digging through debris in freezing conditions on Tuesday in a desperate search for survivors after an earthquake that has left at least 5,100 people dead in Turkey and Syria, a devastating toll that continued to rise.

Doctors Without Borders said that "Health facilities are impacted and overwhelmed, and medical personnel in northern Syria [are] working around the clock to respond to the huge numbers of wounded," adding that "The earthquakes destroyed hundreds of houses, leaving thousands homeless."

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Mediterranean region at dawn, with Turkey and Syria being affected the most. The aftershocks have also been felt in other countries, such as Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, and Palestine.

Another earthquake hit Turkey again at a magnitude of 5.3, which comes right after Monday's earthquake left a death toll of 2,921 in Turkey with 15,834 injured, according to a Turkish news agency on Tuesday, citing the Turkish disaster and emergency management authority (AFAD).

The World Health Organization warned the number of fatalities due to the earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria could exceed 20,000, while rescuers still look for survivors among the rubble of collapsed houses.