Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the executive director of the Crime Check Foundation, has stated that he has been informed that Christian Atsuleft his flat before the earthquake occurred.
Christian Atsu and his Hataysporclub technical director, Taner Savut, have both been missing since Monday, February 6, 2023, following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.
His agent, Nana Sechere went to the site with a rescue team in search of his player but revealed that only a pair of his shoes were found at the apartment and that there was no sign of Christian Atsu.
Providing his own update, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng who has been working with Christian Atsu over the years, stated that he has been told the player left the apartment minutes before the earthquake hit his building.
“I have been briefed by the club that he was not in the building. He run to the parking garage to get his car out and it was during that period that the Renaissance building totally collapsed and that happened 20 minutes after he left the apartment.”
“Our brother was not in the building, he went out before the building collapsed. But I can’t confirm whether he will able to leave the parking garage with his car or not,” he added in his update on Crime Check’s YouTube page sighted by GhanaWeb.
After being rescued from her earthquake-damaged home in Turkey ten hours earlier, a Yemeni mother who had escaped the war in her homeland gave birth to a baby girl.
When the quake struck Faten Al Yousifi’s flat in Malatya, Turkey, just after 4 a.m. on Monday, she was 39 weeks pregnant, had decorated her baby’s nursery, and was prepared to give birth.
She was extracted from the wreckage by a family friend named Hisham and rescue workers after 10 hours of squatting, when she was bewildered, dehydrated, and worried about the safety of her unborn child.
“I did not believe I was still alive,” Faten told the BBC via WhatsApp on Thursday.
She was rushed to the hospital where the doctors carried out a Caesarean section to deliver her baby girl Loujain, meaning “silver” in Arabic.
But then came tragedy. Hisham returned to rescue Faten’s husband, and was shocked to see a nearby building had collapsed on top of their flats.
Faten’s husband, 29-year-old Burhan Al Alimi, had died. His body was recovered three days later. He was in his final year of chemical engineering studies at Inonu University in Malatya.
Like any new mother, Faten is sleep deprived and trying to adjust to her newborn’s feeding and sleep routines.
“The beginning was very difficult, especially with the circumstances,” she said.
Yemeni doctor Mohammed Al-Ara’awi, who arrived Turkey before the war, said he lost his wife, 16-year-old son and young daughter.
When the quake hit, he was in Adana city, but his family were in Hatay. After desperately trying to reach neighbours, he travelled to Hatay and was devastated to learn about his family trapped under the rubble.
“Waiting on the rubble was like the Yemeni war that people lived through,” he said from Istanbul.
Idris Aqlan, a 25-year-old student at Gaziantep University, was visiting Istanbul when the earthquake hit. He told the BBC that two Turkish friends died.
“I lived through many difficult situations in Yemen because of the war, but this one was much more difficult,” he said.
The sudden nature of the earthquake did not give people time to prepare, he explained. In war, he said, at least there is time to hide in cellars, in the desert, or in the mountains.
Melih Telci, a 28-year-old lawyer from Istanbul, knew what he had to do when he learned that a family of four had been made homeless in the province of Hatay following last week’s devastating earthquakes. He took his phone in hand.
He recalled calling them and telling them, “Come, our home is yours.”
The family arrived in Istanbul, where Telci met them and drove them to one of his family’s summer residences in Yalova, a northwest coastal town on the Sea of Marmara. “We set them up with everything—furniture, clothes, and food.” Now, I’m working on finding the father a job,” Telci said to Al Jazeera.
Telci’s family has two more summer homes in Yalova where they hope to welcome more families over the next few days.
They are among Turkish families across the county who are connecting with quake-stricken survivors through word of mouth, social media and the help of local authorities, and then giving shelter to the earthquake victims.
Ayse Arslan and her father in the garden of their family home in Armagan village in Trabzon, Turkey [Ayse Arslan/Al Jazeera]
‘I had to help’
Among those who have stepped forward are the people of Armagan village in the Black Sea province of Trabzon.
Located more than 500km (310 miles) north of the site of the deadly quakes that have left more than 41,000 people dead in Turkey and Syria, this small village of only a few hundred people is now hosting several families from Malatya – one of the 10 worst-hit southern Turkish provinces.
“When the earthquake hit, I knew I had to help,” said Ayse Arslan, a 51-year-old housewife from Armagan, currently living in Germany.
When she heard about her father’s friends – Nafiye and Mevlut Ozdemir in Malatya, who were stranded in subzero temperatures after their home was destroyed – she knew she had to do more.
“They were in desperate condition. I hadn’t much money, but I had a flat and that’s what I offered,” Arslan told Al Jazeera, explaining that she welcomed them into her empty apartment in Armagan.
“I imagined being in their shoes – losing everything. I’d need shelter to feel safe and dignified,” said Arslan, explaining that she encouraged her siblings and cousins to do the same.
“If we’ve a single loaf of bread, we must share it,” said Arslan, who bought the couple bus tickets to Trabzon.
Nafiye and Mevlut Ozdemir lost their home in Malatya due to the earthquake [Nafiye Ozdemir/Al Jazeera]
‘Opened her whole heart’
By the time the couple made it to Arslan’s place, they had experienced all kinds of hell.
“I don’t even want to remember those moments. I screamed till I lost my voice,” said Nafiye Ozdemir as she recounted the horrifying experience of the earthquake.
“Initially, we didn’t want to accept Ayse’s offer, but we really had no other option,” said the 54-year-old housewife. She detailed how she spent the first night sleeping in the snow without shoes or warm clothes.
The next three days, the couple – Mevlut is a cancer patient receiving chemotherapy – spent their nights at a hospital, then a school corridor and finally, holed up in a cave in the mountains.
“I am so grateful. Ayse not only opened her home to us, but her whole heart,” said Ozdemir.
Arslan and her community in Armagan have since taken in 21 survivors from Malatya, including two families with six young children now staying in two of her cousins’ flats.
With the help of family and friends in Germany, Arslan has so far fundraised more than 90,000 Turkish lire ($4,700) to support the families, securing everything from clothing to food and medication.
Rumeysa Otoman’s father, Ahmet Arkin (L) with his brother Sebhattin Arkin (R) who survived the earthquake in Hatay and came to stay with them in Bursa [Credit Rumeysa Otoman/Al Jazeera]
‘Our duty’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised a sum of 10,000 lire ($530) for each affected household and promised to rebuild the destroyed homes within a year.
In the meantime, the Turkish government is housing survivors in university dormitories, hotels, and restaurants, as well as setting up tents as temporary accommodation.
But with an overwhelming need for urgent shelter for more than two million displaced people, according to the presidency’s estimates, dozens of volunteer groups have popped up across the country to coordinate efforts to house the survivors.
Like many, Rumeysa Otoman, a 35-year-old Turkish woman living in Bursa, in northwest Turkey, believes the government cannot shoulder the brunt of this disaster alone.
“The state’s doing what it can. It’s our duty to step in and do the same,” Otoman told Al Jazeera.
She is originally from Hatay, one of the worst-hit provinces in southern Turkey, where 17 members of her extended family were killed in the earthquakes. Many more remain unaccounted for as rescue workers continue to dig through the rubble of thousands of destroyed homes.
To do her part, Otoman banded together with her family and friends and booked tickets for as many survivors in Hatay as she could host back in Bursa.
More than a week after the quakes, Otoman’s family is now hosting 60 survivors in Bursa and is working to bring more.
“They’ve lost everything in a blink of an eye,” said Otoman. “We’re one, and we’re here for them.”
National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate hopeful Mr Kojo Bonsu is sympathizing with Christian Atsu and his families following the recent infamous Turkey earthquake that has claimed thousands of lives.
Consequently, the former National Sports Authority (NSA) boss and the former Mayor of Kumasi has as a matter of urgency called on Ghanaians to intensify prayers for the missing former Newcastle United player.
The Ghana winger, who plies his trade with Hatayaspor has gone missing after the earthquake rubble in Turkey, and he is yet to be found by the rescue team.
In a release signed by his communication team, Mr Bonsu said “Whatever happens in any part of the world has a bearing across the world.
“That reality has hit home, especially following the major earthquake of last Monday, in parts of Turkey.
“That natural disaster has claimed many lives, and kept the rest of the world, on edge, given the mounting challenges faced by the rescue teams.”
The release added “Ghanaians have not been exempt from the anxiety of humanity, following the calamity.
“However, our particular interest rests in the timely rescue of our national, Christian Atsu, an ex-international, reported missing, since the huge earthquake hit Turkey.
“Although he has not yet been found, we have no recourse than to keep our hopes, alive, knowing, nothing is ever over until it is.
“So, to all Ghanaians, home and abroad, especially Atsu’s partner, children, parents, other family members, friends and teammates, I say, hang in, there.”
To him, Ghanaians should not rule out the possibility that he can be found, alive. It is never over till it is over saying.
The recent 7.8 earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria which has caused havoc has led to a preview of similar past events which brought so much despair.
Below is the list of top 10 earthquakes in an ascending order.
Valdivia Earthquake (9.5)
The Chilean coast was severely battered
On May 22, 1960, the coast of Chile, parallel to the city of Valdivia was hit. About 1,000 to 6,000 people died with about 3,000 people injured.
The main tsunami severely battered the Chilean coast, and raced across the Pacific Ocean and devastated Hilo, Hawaii.
Waves as high as 10.7 meters (35 feet) were recorded even 10,000 kilometers (6,200 mi) from the epicenter, and as far away as Japan and the Philippines.
Great Alaska Earthquake (9.2)
Many tried to outrun the tsunami
On Good Friday, March 27, 1964, at 5:36 PM (local time, 3:36 UTC), the Prince William Sound region of Alaska experienced the Great Alaska earthquake.
It lasted for about 4.5 minutes and was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the United States.
The Chenega village was demolished by a tsunami that reached a height of 27 feet (8.2 meters), killing 23 of the 68 inhabitants.
Survivors climbed to high ground and outran the tsunami. It also brought up a significant underwater landslide. 30 people died when the docks and harbor in Port Valdez city collapsed.
A total of 139 people are believed to have died: 15 as a result of the earthquake itself, 106 from the subsequent tsunami in Alaska, 5 from the tsunami in Oregon, and 13 from the tsunami in California.
Sumatra Earthquake (9.1)
Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, Somalia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka were all affected
The 2004 Sumatra Earthquake, also known as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, struck on December 26 and was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent memory.
The faulting during the earthquake lasted for between 8.3 and 10 minutes, which was a record for faulting duration. This energy is less than that of the Tsar Bomba, the greatest nuclear weapon ever detonated, but more than 1,500 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
More over 200,000 people died, the majority on Sumatra, but also in smaller numbers in Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, Somalia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka.
Tōhoku Earthquake (9.1)
There were over 15,000 deaths
A significant underwater megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan happened on March 11, 2011, on Friday at 14:46 local time (05:46 UTC).
An enormous tsunami with waves as high as 40.5 meters (133 feet) was caused by the earthquake. It was one of the deadliest in recorded history; the waves inflicted major structural damage in northeastern Japan, traveling as far inland as 6 miles (10 km).
Airports, highways, and railroads were destroyed, and 127,290 buildings completely, 272,788 partially, and 747,989 partially damaged. A dam gave way.
In particular, the level 7 meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex were brought on by the tsunami.
On 10 March 2015, it was announced that the confirmed casualties were 15,894 deaths, 6,152 injured, and 2,562 people missing.
Kamchatka, Russia Earthquake (9.0)
The fatalities ranged between 10,000 to 15,000
In the extreme east of Russia, off the shore of the Kamchatka Peninsula, a massive earthquake struck on November 4, 1952, at 16:58 GMT (04:58 local time).
It generated a massive, deadly tsunami that swept across the whole Pacific Ocean, with waves as high as 15 meters (50 feet), which severely damaged the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands and resulted in the deaths of between 10,000 and 15,000 people.
Maule(Chile) Earthquake (8.8)
Damage done to houses by the 2010 earthquake with 8.8 magnitude in Concepcion city, Chile.
The 2010 Chile earthquake, often referred to as the 2010 Maule Earthquake, struck the Maule Region of Chile on February 27, 2010, at 03:34 local time (06:34 UTC), roughly 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) off the coast of the Pelluhue commune.
Three minutes or so passed during the prolonged shaking. Numerous cities, including the capital Santiago, saw building collapses that resulted in many fatalities.
In January 2011, the authorities released the ultimate death toll of 525 deaths and 25 people still missing.
Ecuador-Colombia Earthquake (8.8)
Over 500 lives were affected
On January 31, 1906, at 15:36 UTC, a large earthquake off the coast of Ecuador, close to Esmeraldas, occurred (a coastal city in northwestern Ecuador).
It is reported that the destructive tsunami caused at least 500 casualties on the coast of Colombia.
Rat Islands Earthquake (8.7)
No deaths were reported
The 1965 Rat Islands Earthquake struck on February 4, 1965, at 05:01 UTC (19:01, February 3, in local time).
Due to its remote location, it only created a tsunami on Shemya Island in Alaska that was above 10 meters (33 feet) in height. There were no deaths, according to reports.
Assam-Tibet Earthquake (8.6)
Over 500 people died
The Xizang-India border region experienced an earthquake on August 15, 1950, with the epicenter being close to Rima, Tibet. As a result of the earthquake, numerous structures were demolished, and between 1.500 and 3.000 people perished.
Large landslides obstructed the Subansiri River after the earthquake. 8 days later, this natural barrier collapsed, unleashing a 7 m (23 ft) high wave that flooded several communities and claimed the lives of 536 people.
Sumatra Earthquake (8.6)
Ten individuals died
A magnitude 8.6 underwater earthquake struck the Indian Ocean on April 11, 2012, at 15:38 local time, close to the Indonesian city of Aceh. Authorities responded to a tsunami alert but later discontinued it.
The strongest documented strike-slip earthquake occurred during these extraordinarily powerful intraplate earthquakes.
There were reports of tsunamis ranging in size from 10 cm to 0.8 meters (3.9 inches to 31.4 inches), however none of them were devastating because it happened so far away from populated areas. Ten fatalities and twelve injuries were recorded, the most of which were due to anxiety and/or heart attacks.
Each of this week’s European matches will begin with a minute of silence in remembrance of those lost in the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria, according to UEFA.
The United Nations’ humanitarian organization on the ground estimates that the death toll from last Monday’s high-magnitude earthquakes that slammed southern Turkey and northern Syria will likely double from the current total of over 33,000.
In Syria, it is claimed that over five million people have been rendered homeless, while Turkey has reported that over a million people are using temporary shelters as a result of the tremors.
The Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League knockout stage matches this week will all feature tributes to the deaths, according to information released by UEFA.
A minute’s silence will be observed before every fixture across UEFA’s club competitions this week, while a commemorative banner featuring the message, ‘We are together with you’, will be displayed in Turkish and Arabic.
A statement released by European football’s governing body on Monday also confirmed black armbands could be worn at the discretion of teams and referees.
Last week, UEFA confirmed it would donate €150,000 to the Turkish Football Federation and an additional €50,000 to the Bonyan Organization and Tiafi, both assisting in disaster relief.
Trabzonspor are the only Turkish club in action in UEFA’s competitions this week, hosting Basel in the first leg of their Europa Conference League knockout round play-off tie.
Istanbul Basaksehir and Sivasspor advanced to the last 16 of that competition as group winners, while Fenerbahce are into the same round in the Europa League.
Hatayspor and Gaziantep, two clubs based in the region effected by the earthquake, have withdrawn from the Turkish Super Lig.
Former Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton winger Christian Atsu, who plays for Hatayspor, is still missing.
One week after the devastating earthquake hit Turkey, teams are still rushing to save victims that could be alive under the rubble — even as aid agencies and authorities warned the chances of finding survivors are becoming increasingly unlikely.
After 167 hours, a man was rescued from the debris in Antakya, in southern Turkey’s Hatay province, video from CNN affiliate CNN Turk shows. The man is seen being hoisted up by rescue workers, who he then embraces and grasps hands with.
Earlier Sunday, a 55-year-old woman was pulled from the rubble after 159 hours buried, while an 85-year-old woman was rescued after 152 hours trapped in what her nephew described as a cavity around 30-40 centimeters (11-16 inches) wide, according to CNN Turk.
Two people — a 25-year-old Syrian man and a child — were also rescued in Hatay some 151 and 152 hours after the quake hit, local officials said Sunday.
The man was rescued after response teams detected noises beneath the debris while conducting a sound survey in the ruins of an apartment building in Antakya, according to officials.
The technology was also used by the teams to find the child, whose age was not disclosed.
At least 41 people were rescued from under the rubble in Turkey between the 141st and 163rd hours after the quake hit, state-run news agency Anadolu reported Monday.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5PSfdDj98cs
Death toll: More than 36,000 people have been confirmed dead across Turkey and Syria, where relief efforts have been complicated by the long-running civil war. Rescue operations are over in rebel-held areas of northwest Syria, the White Helmets volunteer organization said Friday.
The first relief convoy has reportedly entered the region from Turkey, arriving in opposition-held northwest Syria since the deadly earthquake on Monday.
Officials said six lorries had gone through Idlib’s Bab al-Hawa crossing.
Road damage and logistical difficulties caused a four-day pause in the delivery of life-saving aid to the area.
Rescuers report that hundreds of families are trapped beneath the debris of collapsed buildings and that at least 16,000 people have been murdered.
4.1 million people were already dependent on humanitarian aid before the earthquake, the majority of them were women and children.
There are still aftershocks here and there’s a constant risk of more buildings collapsing. But most homes are already gone.
A man comes up to me and tells me his brothers are buried in a building nearby and need help. This happens a lot here.
The air is thick from fire smoke, people are burning wood to keep warm. Everything is coated in the dust and dirt of the collapsed and collapsing buildings.
Helicopters flying overhead add to the post-apocalyptic feel. Those still trapped under buildings are enduring hell, but those that escaped aren’t faring much better.
The Ambassador of Ghana to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, has stated that all of the Ghanaian students who reside in Turkey, where the earthquake happened are safe.
“They are sleeping in open tents, that is what they have been advised to do,” she told Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Wednesday, February 8
She added, “they will be evacuated from the disaster area to Ankara and Istanbul.”
.”Thankfully, the Ghanaian community, a number of them have agreed to host them in the meantime. All 18 students have been accounted for, and they are okay,” she stressed.
Regarding Christian Atsu’s status, Madam Ashietey-Oduntun said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey announced that Atsu was found alive and sent to a medical facility for medical attention.
She however said the challenge is that she does don’t know which particular facility the Ghanaian footballer has been admitted to for medical attention.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey told me that Atsu has been found, rescued and has been sent to a medical facility for medical attention and that they will update me
“they are working fervently to find which medical facilities they have been sent to
“The challenge is finding out which facility Astsu has been sent to. I am still waiting for the Ministry to tell me,” she told Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show on TVE
“They keep assuring me that he was found alive, he was taken to a medical facility for attention. As when I get any update I will let you know,” she added.
Turkey’s disaster management agency said the country’s death toll passed 12,000 early Thursday.
The Turkish news agency Andalou reported that 12,391 people were killed and 62,914 others were injured
The presidential office has announced that in addition to the aid already provided by the island, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President William Lai will each donate one month’s salary for the relief efforts following the earthquake in Turkey.
The presidential office said in a statement that Tsai and Lai, who are widely anticipated to run for president in the elections scheduled for next year, “hope to do their part to help Turkey rebuild its homeland as soon as possible.”
Turkey, like the majority of nations, does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-occupied Taiwan, but there are direct flights from Istanbul to Taipei, and the two nations do maintain de facto embassies in each other’s capitals.
“My heart goes with our people in Turkey,” Tsai wrote in a book of condolences when she went to the de factoTurkish embassy in Taipei.
When a terrible 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, Christian Atsu, according to his agent, fell from the ninth floor of his apartment building.
Atsu was rescued from beneath rubble on Tuesday when a rescue team heard his voice on one recovery mission.
Now his agent has explained how 20 minutes after returning home from a poker night with team-mates, Atsu was sent plunging to the ground from the ninth floor.
‘The last I heard from him was at midnight on Sunday. Christian and his team-mates were playing poker until 3:30am at a friend’s apartment,’ Atsu’s agent, Nana Sechere, told the Mirror.
‘The journey back to his apartment was around half an hour. He returned at 4am and the earthquake started around 20 minutes later. I didn’t know anything until I received a call from a club official at 5am asking if I’d heard from Christian. He told me Christian’s building had been completely destroyed and that they couldn’t get hold of him.’
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, is currently in the earthquake disaster area as criticism of the government’s reaction rises.
Families in some severely damaged areas have complained that the poor pace of rescue operations has left them with little assistance in searching among the rubble for relatives.
Erdogan recognized that the early response had been challenging, but he attributed delays to deteriorated roads and airports.
In Antakya, Hatay province, a 64-year-old man claimed, “We survived the earthquake, but we will die here from hunger or cold.”
Time is running out to save people, according to the White Helmets, who are leading attempts to rescue civilians in Syria’s rebel-held areas.
Dramatic footage has emerged of rescues – one family of six were pulled alive from the rubble in the Syrian city of Idlib.
On Tuesday morning, reports emerged that former Black Stars and Newcastle United star Christian Atsu had been found alive after being trapped in the rubble caused by a powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday.
As newsof his rescue spread, many in Ghana let out a collective sigh of relief, thankful that Atsu had been saved from almost certain peril. Since the earthquake, people all over the world have prayed for Atsu’s safety and offered support to thosedisplaced by the disaster.
With Atsu’s rescue, the global community can take comfort that some good has come from this tragic event.
Not long after, there was agitation on social media after authorities noted that they are unable to determine the health facility the player has been admitted to.
Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey, H.E. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton confirmed that information privy to her does confirm that the 31-year-old had been rescued but there were challenges with locating the said facility he was receiving medical attention.
But according to Hatayspor team doctor Gurbey Kahveci, the club can not confirm if Christian Atsu was rescued due to the recent challenge.
“When we heard the news that “he was taken to Dortyol Hospital”, we especially went and looked, but it was not there. At the moment, we accept that [the sporting director] Taner Savut and Christian Atsu were not found, unfortunate,” he said.
Currently, it is unclear the current health status of Christian Atsu.
Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, a goalkeeper from Turkey, has been found dead after the earthquake on Monday, according to his club Yeni Malatyaspor.
The 28-year-old played six times for Yeni Malatyaspor and has also played for Umraniyespor, Osmanlispor, Bugsasspor, and Gaziantepspor, all of which are Turkish clubs.
Malatyaspor, a team from the second level, tweeted on Tuesday that Turkaslan had passed away.
“Our goalkeeper, Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, lost his life after being under the collapse of the earthquake. Rest in peace,” the club said. “We will not forget you, beautiful person.”
Başımız sağ olsun!
Kalecimiz Ahmet Eyüp Türkaslan, meydana gelen depremde göçük altında kalarak, hayatını kaybetmiştir. Allah rahmet eylesin, mekanı cennet olsun. Seni unutmayacağız güzel insan.😢 pic.twitter.com/15yjH9Sa1H
Former Crystal Palace and Everton winger Yannick Bolasie, currently on loan in the Turkish second division with Caykur Rizespor, was among those to pay tribute.
“RIP brother Eyup Ahmet Turkaslan,” he posted on Twitter. “One moment you can see someone in the dugout, the next moment they’re gone.”
More than 7,800 people have died in Turkey and Syria following the earthquake that hit earlier this week.
Former Ghana and Newcastle winger Christian Atsu, who plays for Super Lig side Hatayspor, was pulled alive from the rubble of a building he was in.
All football matches in Turkey have been postponed indefinitely amid the humanitarian crisis.
Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey, H.E. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, has refuted resurging claims that former Black Stars player, Christian Atsu, has not been found and rescued after an earthquake in Turkey.
On Monday, there were reports that the former Chelsea and Newcastle winger and sporting director for Hatayspor, Taner Savut, had been trapped in a rubble after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
Later that evening, international tabloids reported that Christian Atsu has been found and rescued, however, Taner Savut remained missing. It was said that Christian Atsu had been sent to a hospital for treatment but the said health facility was not identified.
However, on Wednesday, football agent, Murat Uzunmehmet noted that reports that Christian Atsu had been rescued can not be confirmed. According to him, the embassy said there are not able to track the said hospital the 31-year-old was sent to.
This recent revelation has caused panic on social media with many doubting information put out.
But engaging GTV, H.E. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, noted that “yesterday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here assured me that he has been found & rescued & has been sent to a medical center because he was found with injuries.”
Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey, H.E. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton
She however, noted that the challenge has been “trying to locate which hospital or health center he has been sent for treatment.”
“This is understandable because of the situation when you are rescued, you are put in an ambulance sent to an available facility. This morning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here has assured me that they are trying to locate the facility he was sent to,” she added.
On Christian Atsu, yesterday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here assured me that he has been found & rescued & has been sent to a medical center because he was found with injuries – H.E. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, Ghana’s Amb. to Turkey#GTVBreakfastpic.twitter.com/eJh1RLrVNd
With the exception of Christian Atsu, who has been rescued from the rubble, Black Stars striker Samuel Tetteh has assured Ghanaians of his and the other Ghanaian players’ safety in Turkey.
The world was thrown into a state of mourning on Monday, February 6, 2023, after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit south-central Turkey.
Ghanaians were worried about the well-being of players who ply tried trade in Turkey after it was reported that Christian Atsu was trapped under the rubble but Samuel Tetteh has shared that he was not hurt.
“I’m safe and I haven’t been hurt by what is going on in the country. We felt the earthquake here but it was not devastating like it happened in the other cities even though some of the buildings here collapsed.”
“I tried to contact all the other Ghana players in Turkey that I know and apart from Atsu whose situation was serious, they were all safe and sound.”
“The country is in a sad mood because of this tragedy and I’m hoping that they break the league. I have contacted my family, friends, and everyone around me that I’m fine and I have not been hurt. We have also heard that Atsu has been found and that is good news,” Samuel Tetteh told Happy FM monitored by GhanaWeb Sports.
Meanwhile, Black Stars player Christian Atsu has been rescued from the trap in the earthquake-ravaged city of Hayat.
“Christian Atsu has been pulled from the wreckage alive!” journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu, who broke news of his trapping, tweeted early Tuesday, February 7, 2023.
When the dogs combed through the wreckage of the earthquake that devastated Mexico City and the surrounding areas in 2017, killing hundreds of people, the dogs won the hearts of the Mexican people.
The most well-known of them, Frida, a golden lab wearing safety goggles and booties who saved 12 people throughout her career, passed away three months ago due to old age.
However, some of the more seasoned dogs who worked with Frida in 2017 are now a part of the group, including Ecko.
Ecko is part of the team flying to Turkey
Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard tweeted photos of the canines lying on the tarmac just before take-off.
Mexico’s deadliest earthquake happened in 1985, when at least 5,000 people were killed in the capital and its surroundings.
The government of South Sudan has been urged by Catholic bishops to apprehend and prosecute the assailants who murdered civilians on the eve of the historic visit of the Pope and two other prominent clerics.
At least 21 civilians were killed on Thursday in Kajo-Keji county in Central Equatoria state by suspected cattle herders from Jonglei state.
The following day, a joint ecumenical peace pilgrimage to South Sudan was launched by Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields.
The death toll from the Kajo-Keji incident has risen to 27, with “countless numbers” injured, according to the UN peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss).
Also 2,000 people, including 30 unaccompanied children, were forced to feel from their homes, Unmiss said.
Among those killed were four volunteers from the South Sudan Red Cross Society, who were stationed in the area conducting Ebola awareness work following the recent outbreak of the deadly disease in neighbouring Uganda.
The Red Cross says its volunteers in Kajo-Keji were taken from their homes and “callously killed.”
Manager for Christian Atsu, Abdul Hayye Yartey, has characterized his recovery from the Turkey earthquake rubble as “huge and miraculous”.
The Ghana winger was trapped in the debris of the devastating disaster that hit Turkey on Monday dawn for 26 hours.
Yartey is relieved of the 31-year-old’s recovery alive after the building housing his apartment in Hatay collapsed, with 1000s across the globe fearing for his life. However, news broke on Tuesday of the Hatayspor attacker’s rescue.
Reacting to the development, Yartey expressed his relief and elation: “This is huge and miraculous. To be under the debris for about 24 hours and come out safe is great news. We are all happy here and we pray he didn’t suffer major injuries,” he told the Ghana News Agency.
“Yesterday, when I got in touch with his orphanage, the director told me the kids were crying and praying for his safety. Atsu helps people he comes across everywhere, and for me, there is much blessing in giving,” Yartey added.
The sporting world and wellwishers, who took to social media to express their support and prayers, are also relieved of the news of the former Chelsea, Porto, and Newcastle United star’s rescue.
Christian Atsu signed a one-year deal with Turkish Super Lig side, Hatayspor, and only scored his first goal on Sunday against Kasimpasa.
Some Ghanaian celebrities have reacted to the sad news aboutBlack Stars player, Christian Atsu, who has been reportedly trapped under rubbles after Turkey was hit by an earthquake.
Christian Atsu and his club director, Taner Savut, are said to have been left under piles of ruins, following the incident which is currently being reported by global news outlets today, February 6, 2023.
However, the development has stirred massive reactions on social media, while igniting fear and panic among scores of netizens.
Some Ghanaian celebrities have since flooded social media to express their concerns about the situation, while hoping that God saves the Black Stars winger.
The likes of Abeiku Santana, Guru, Menaye Donkor, Amanda Jissih, OV, and many others have offered prayers for the footballer.
Meanwhile, CNN report says the death toll has since risen to more than 4000.
Following devastating earthquakes that claimed more than 4,600 lives and toppled buildings across southeast Turkey and northern Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has declared seven days of national mourning, and Syria has asked the UN for assistance.
Authorities worry that the death toll from Monday’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake, which was followed by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake and several aftershocks, will rise as rescuers combed through piles of metal and concrete scattered across a region already troubled by Syria’s 12-year civil war and a refugee crisis in search of survivors.
Rescuers continued their search through the chilly night and into Tuesday morning in an effort to extricate more survivors from the debris.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), gave the number of dead in Turkey at 3,381 on Tuesday morning, while 15,834 others were injured.
In Syria, at least 1,300 people were killed, according to the Ministry of Health and the White Helmets rescue organisation on Monday evening.
Freezing winter weather conditions and snowfall in the devastated region have added to the plight of many thousands of people left injured and homeless by the earthquake. Downed buildings and destroyed roads have hampered efforts to find survivors and get crucial aid into affected areas.
Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, said millions of people need help.
“And their need is even more acute because it is winter and they are facing cold temperatures, snow and rain.”
Ten cities in southern Turkey have been declared disaster areas, according to Al Jazeera’s Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from Istanbul. Freezing temperatures and snow have hampered rescue efforts, and more bad weather is expected to hit the region. Electricity supplies and natural gas have been cut off in many areas and the government is working to restore both services.
“A full picture of the devastation is only starting to emerge – devastation that will likely become more evident as the sun rises” on Tuesday, Ghoneim said.
Seismic activity continued to rattle the region on Monday, including another jolt nearly as powerful as the initial earthquake.
The US Geological Survey measured the initial earthquake at 7.8, with a depth of 18km (11 miles). Hours later, a 7.6 magnitude temblor also struck. The second jolt caused a multistorey apartment building in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa to topple onto the street in a cloud of dust as bystanders screamed, according to video of the scene.
Dramatic video footage aired on Turkish television showed buildings collapsing in real time. Visuals showed rescue workers pulling a child alive from a flattened building. The child was then reunited with distraught parents in snow-covered streets.
More than 7,800 people have been rescued across 10 provinces, according to Orhan Tatar, an official with Turkey’s disaster management authority. Strained medical facilities have quickly filled with injured people, rescue workers said.
The Syrian American Medical Society, which runs hospitals in northern Syria and southern Turkey, said in a statement that its facilities were “overwhelmed with patients filling the hallways” and called urgently for “trauma supplies and a comprehensive emergency response to save lives and treat the injured”.
Governments and aid agencies have rushed to deploy personnel, funds and equipment to Turkey and Syria.
Jordan is sending emergency aid to Syria and Turkey on the orders of King Abdullah II, while Egypt has pledged urgent humanitarian help to Turkey. Lebanon’s cash-strapped government is also sending Red Cross and Civil Defence first responders and firefighters to Turkey to help with its rescue efforts.
The European Union has mobilised search and rescue teams, and the bloc’s Copernicus satellite system has been activated to provide emergency mapping services. At least 13 member countries have offered assistance. The United Kingdom and United States said they are also ready to send help to Syria, but Washington has ruled out dealing directly with the Syrian government.
Germany’s foreign ministry said it is coordinating its aid response with EU partners and readying deliveries of emergency generators, tents, blankets and water treatment equipment.
The US is coordinating immediate assistance to NATO-member Turkey, including teams to support search and rescue efforts. In California, nearly 100 Los Angeles County firefighters and structural engineers, along with six specially trained dogs, were being sent to Turkey to help with rescue efforts.
Russian rescue teams from the Emergencies Ministry are preparing to fly to Syria, where the Russian military deployed in that country already has sent 10 units comprising 300 people to help clear debris and search for survivors. The Russian military has set up points to distribute humanitarian assistance. Russia also has offered help to Turkey, which has been accepted.
Millions across the world are praying for former Black Stars, Christian Atsu and sporting director for Hatayspor, Tanarsh Sowth, who are reportedly missing after Monday’s earthquake which hit Turkey and Syria.
Prior to the unfortunate incident, Christian Atsu celebrated his team which recently tasted victory.
On Sunday, February 5, Christian Atsu expressed excitement over being able to net a goal for his side, Hatayspor, in the game against Kasimpasa SK.
Following an earthquake disaster that has left more than 1,800 people dead, dozens of nations and organisations have offered to help with rescue operations in southeast Turkey and northwest Syria.
The international assistance that has been mobilised and offered since the Monday morning earthquake are listed below. It will be revised appropriately.
Following an earthquake disaster that left more than 1,800 people dead, dozens of nations and organisations have offered to help with rescue operations in southeast Turkey and northwest Syria.
The international assistance that has been mobilised and offered since the Monday morning earthquake is listed below. It will be revised appropriately.
China
China is willing to provide humanitarian emergency aid to earthquake-struck Turkey and Syria, the State Council’s foreign aid agency said.
China expressed condolences and concern for the loss of life and property, and is in communications with both Turkey and Syria, a spokesperson from China International Development Cooperation Agency said.
European Union
Ten search-and-rescue teams from eight European Union countries have been mobilised to help first responders in Turkey, the European Commission said in a statement.
The units come from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania. Italy and Hungary have also offered to send teams to Turkey, the Commission wrote.
A spokesperson for the German government said his country would contribute to the swift delivery of aid.
Greece
Kyriakos Mitsotakis,prime minister of Greece, offered condolences and support to Turkey, saying his country was mobilising its resources and will assist immediately.
India
The Indian government said two teams from its National Disaster Response Force comprising 100 personnel with specially trained canine squads and equipment were ready to be flown to the disaster area for search-and-rescue operations.
Medical teams were also being readied, and relief material was being sent in coordination with the Turkish authorities.
Iran
Foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani expressed “condolences and deep sympathy” to the quake-hit countries and expressed readiness to help the victims.
Hailing Iran’s “good relationship” with both countries, Kanaani said: “If there is a need for the presence of relief and health institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the earthquake-affected areas, we will fulfil our moral responsibility.”
He described the offer of help as a “moral, human and Islamic responsibility”.
Italy
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy’s Civil Protection was standing by to contribute support and provide first aid.
Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said all authorities had been instructed to make immediate preparations to provide medical and search-and-rescue assistance.
Defence minister Yoav Gallant said Israel’s security forces are ready to provide any assistance needed, while foreign minister Eli Cohen added that a swift aid programme was being prepared.
NATO
Voicing full solidarity with Turkey, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter: “I am in touch with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and NATO Allies are mobilizing support now.”
Full solidarity with our Ally #Türkiye in the aftermath of this terrible earthquake. I am in touch with President @RTErdogan and Foreign Minister @MevlutCavusoglu, and #NATO Allies are mobilizing support now.
“NRC is assessing the situation in order to provide direct support to those most affected across Syria. A massive scale up is needed and our organisation will be part of it,” said Carsten Hansen, Middle East regional director for NRC.
Poland
Poland will send rescue group HUSAR, consisting of 76 firefighters and eight rescue dogs, Interior and Administration Minister Mariusz Kamiński said.
Qatar
The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his condolences in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
State news agency QNA said the emir expressed Qatar’s support for the “sisterly” country “in mitigating the serious humanitarian repercussions left by the earthquake”.
Spain
Spanish urban rescue teams are preparing to travel to Turkey, Spain’s interior ministry said, and officials from the defence ministry and other departments were coordinating to send the crews immediately to Turkey.
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences and offered assistance.
“Please accept my deep condolences on the numerous human casualties and large-scale destruction … in your country,” Putin said.
“We are ready to provide the necessary assistance in this regard,” he added.
Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready to send support.
On Twitter, Zelenskyy wrote: “I express my sincere condolences to President Erdogan, the Turkish people and the families of the victims of the earthquake in the southeast of Turkey.
“I wish a speedy recovery to all the victims. We will stand by the Turkish people in this difficult time. Ready to provide the necessary assistance to overcome the consequences of the disaster.
United Kingdom
The UK says it will send search and rescue specialists and an emergency medical team to Turkey.
Britain will send 76 search and rescue specialists, four search dogs and rescue equipment that will arrive in Turkey on Monday evening, the British foreign ministry said.
“We stand ready to provide further support as needed,” James Cleverly, the UK’s foreign secretary, said in a statement.
United States
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the US is “profoundly concerned” about the incident.
“I have been in touch with Turkish officials to relay that we stand ready to provide any & all needed assistance. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkiye,” Sullivan said on Twitter, using Turkey’s official name.
The U.S. is profoundly concerned by today’s destructive earthquake in Turkiye & Syria. I have been in touch with Turkish officials to relay that we stand ready to provide any & all needed assistance. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkiye.
The United Nations’World Health Organization chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said emergency medical teams had been activated to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable.
On Monday, February 6, 2023, Turkey experienced a massive 7.7 earthquake, claiming over 1,800 lives.
Per reports Ghanaian international player Christian Atsu, who plays for Turkish Super Lig team Hataysport, is among those who have been trapped under the debris.
This is the Moment a Building in Türkiye's Sanliurfa Collapsed after a major 7. 4 Magnitude Earthquake struck Türkiye.
The earthquake, the second-largest in the last century anywhere in the world, has already been reported to have claimed more than 1600 lives both in Turkey and neighbouring Syria, the CNN reports.
As the world comes to terms with what is happening in Turkey, and as humanitarian and rescue efforts are being made to help the country, GhanaWeb takes a look at some of the videos that have been shared by people online showing the depth of destruction caused by the natural disaster.
In these difficult moments for the peoples hit by the earthquake, in #Türkiye and #Syria, we should all pray that there will be as few human victims as possible. We pray for them…!#PrayForTurkeypic.twitter.com/jyavyhY2zI
More than 1,300 people in Turkey and neighboring Syria have died due to a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday.
Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan says 912 people have been killed in Turkey alone, and 5,383 wounded, due to the earthquake.
He says he can’t predict how much the death toll will rise by as search and rescue efforts continue.
This is the country’s largest disaster since 1939, Erdogan tells reporters, adding that 2,818 buildings collapsed as a result.
People were startled out of their beds by the earthquake, which also rattled buildings around the Middle East and was felt as far away as Egypt and Cyprus. A few hours later, a quake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck the same region, increasing the possibility of a fresh humanitarian crisis in an area that had been destroyed by years of war.
The quake hit an area of Syria’s northwest that is divided between government-held territory and the country’s last remaining rebel-controlled enclave. Turkey is home to millions of refugees from the conflict.
At least 248 people were killed in government-controlled areas and 700 were injured, according to the country’s health ministry. In opposition-held areas, members of the opposition emergency organization known as the White Helmets said the earthquake had killed at least 221 people and injured hundreds more.
That takes the combined death toll across the two borders to at least 1,381, with fears it may still rise substantially.
“We were shaken like a cradle. There were nine of us at home. Two sons of mine are still in the rubble, I’m waiting for them,” said a woman with a broken arm and wounds on her face, speaking to Reuters in an ambulance near the wreckage of a seven-story block where she had lived in Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the first quake was centered about 20 miles from Gaziantep, Turkey, a major city and provincial capital, when it struck at 4:17 a.m. local time (8:17 p.m. ET Sunday).
More than 1,000 people have been killed, tens of thousands injured, and significant damage has been caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 that had its epicentre in southeast Turkey close to the northern Syrian border.
The earthquake toppled buildings and sent rescuers scurrying through the rubble in search of survivors, killing more than 1,300 people—at least 912 in Turkey, 320 in government-held parts of Syria, and at least 147 in opposition-held parts of Syria.
The death toll was expected to rise, with experts warning that aftershocks could continue for days or weeks. Tremors were also felt in Cyprus, Egypt, and Lebanon.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the quake.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Civil Defence, which operates in the opposition-held portions of northern Syria, declared a state of emergency and appealed for “the international community to support the rescue of civilians in Syria”.
Where did the earthquake hit?
The earthquake occurred at 4:17am (01:17 GMT), with its epicentre in Kahramanmaras in Gaziantep province, about 33km (20 miles) from the capital city of Gaziantep, which is home to more than two million people, including hundreds of thousands of Syrians who fled during the country’s war, which began in 2011.
The US Geological Survey agency noted that the area contains many buildings constructed of brick masonry or brittle concrete, making them “extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking”.
A person is rescued from the wreckage of a building in Adana, Turkey [Eren Bozkurt/Anadolu Agency]
The quake was about 50km (31 miles) from the border of northwest Syria, where about 1.7 million internally displaced Syrians live in a cluster of camps in areas controlled by opposition groups still fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
More than 40 aftershocks were felt in the wake of the initial quake, including one with a magnitude of 6.7.
Those aftershocks stretched “a distance of about 100km to 200km (62 to 124 miles) all along a big fault line,” Chris Elders, professor at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, told Al Jazeera, referring to the East Anatolian Fault, which stretches across the southeastern portion of Turkey.
What do we know about the casualties?
The death toll was rising rapidly on Monday, with Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management agency saying at least 284 people were killed in seven Turkish provinces by 10:35am (07:35 GMT).
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday afternoon the death toll had soared to at least 912 people, with nearly 6,000 injured.
Rescuers were digging through the rubble of levelled buildings in the city of Kahramanmaras and neighbouring Gaziantep. Crumbled buildings were also reported in Adiyaman, Malatya and Diyarbakir.
The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to 320, according to Syrian state media, with deaths reported in the cities of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartous.
At least 147 people were killed and more than 230 injured in rebel-held parts of northwestern Syria on Monday, rescue workers said.
“Large damage and local devastation has to be expected. Rescue forces are in the area right now and we will see the number rising over the next days,” Martin Mai, a professor of geophysics at King Abdullah University in Saudi Arabia, told Al Jazeera.
“In the past, these earthquakes in Turkey have led to about 10,000 to 13,000 fatalities owing to building style construction and the sheer size of this event will have profound economic impact as well.”
The famous Yeni Mosque, which dates back to the 13th century, partially collapsed in the province of Maltaya, where a 14-story building with 28 apartments also collapsed.
Is the rescue effort going to work?
Rescue efforts are being hampered by a winter blizzard that covered major roads in ice and snow.
Aid workers warned of a particularly dire situation in northwest Syria.
Rescue workers are seen in Afrin, Syria [Ugur Yildirim/Getty Images]
“We got initial information from our hospitals … The hospitals are overwhelmed from the number of casualties,” he said, adding that several hospitals had to be evacuated.
There were “five to seven deaths in a fetal hospital in Afrin,” Kiwara added, “including one pregnant mother who passed away but our colleagues succeeded to get out her baby out alive. And he’s in a good condition right now.”
Why was the earthquake so deadly?
Curtin University’s Elders said the depth of the earthquake, at about 18km (11 miles) deep, made the incident particularly devastating.
While that “sounds quite deep”, he said, however, “the energy that’s released by the earthquake will be felt quite close to the surface with much greater intensity than if it was deeper in the crust”.
Naci Gorur, an earthquake expert with Turkey’s Academy of Sciences, urged local officials to immediately check the region’s dams for cracks to avert potentially catastrophic flooding.
Turkey predominantly sits on the Anatolian Plate, with two major faults, the North Anatolian Fault, which runs between the Anatolian Plate and the Eurasian Plate to the north of Turkey’s land mass, and the East Anatolian Fault, which runs along the Arabian Plate to the southeast of Turkey’s territory.
The geological location makes Turkey one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.
In 1999, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the Duzce region in northeastern Turkey, killing more than 17,000 people, including more than 1,000 in Istanbul, the country’s largest city.
Monday’s quake was the highest magnitude since another magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Erzincan province in 1939, killing more than 30,000.
Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, keeps a sizable military presence there and participates in ongoing combat operations against opposition forces.
Putin also gets along well with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan, who is a NATO member but has attempted to mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“Please accept my deep condolences on the numerous human casualties and large-scale destruction caused by a powerful earthquake in your country,” Putin said in his message to Erdogan on Monday.
Separately, Putin told Assad that Russia shared “the sadness and pain of those who lost their loved ones” and saidRussia was ready to provide help.
A man reacts as people search for survivors through the rubble in Diyarbakir, Turkey [Ilyas Akengin/AFP]
More than 300 people have been killed and numerous others are trapped after a strong earthquake struck a large area in southeast Turkey, close to the Syrian border.
According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred near the city of Gaziantep at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) and a depth of 17.9 kilometres (11 miles).
More than 76 deaths have been reported in Turkey so far, and 10 cities have been affected, including Diyarbakir.
The Syrian health ministry said people had died in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus.
There are fears the death toll will rise sharply in the coming hours.
Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleymon Soylu said 10 cities were affected: Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis.
In Malatya province, north-east of Gaziantep, at least 23 people were killed, local officials said. In Sanliurfa, to the east, there were 17 deaths. And more deaths were reported in Diyarbakir and Osmaniye.
About 440 people were injured in Turkey and 639 in Syria.
A BBC Turkish correspondent in Diyarbakir, reported that a shopping mall in the city collapsed.
The tremor was also felt in Lebanon and Cyprus.
“I was writing something and just all of a sudden the entire building started shaking and yes I didn’t really know what to feel,” Mohamad El Chamaa, a student in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, told the BBC.
“I was right next to the window so I was just scared that they might shatter. It went on for four-five minutes and it was pretty horrific. It was mind-blowing,” he said.
Rushdi Abualouf, a BBC producer in the Gaza Strip, said there was about 45 seconds of shaking in the house he was staying in.
Turkish seismologists estimated the strength of the quake to be 7.4 magnitude. They said that a second tremor hit the region just minutes later.
Turkey lies in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.
Image caption, In Diyarbakir north-east of Gaziantep a search is now under way for people trapped in damaged buildingsImage caption,In Malatya, also north-east of Gaziantep, cars were smashed by collapsed buildingsImage caption,In northern Syria, the quake flattened a number of buildings in the city of Hama
The Turkish government strongly rebuked foreign diplomatic missions on Friday who had warned of terrorist threats following Quran burnings at demonstrations against Ankara’s stance on NATO expansion abroad.
“If they want to create the image that Turkey is unstable and that there is a danger of terrorism, then that is incompatible with friendship and partnership,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said after summoning Germany’s ambassador — the ninth envoy to receive a summons this week. On Thursday, Turkey summoned several ambassadors following the temporary closure of a number of European consulates in Istanbul.
According to a diplomatic source cited by the AFP news agency, envoys from Germany, Belgium, Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States were called to attend a meeting at the Foreign Ministry.
Germany shut its Istanbul consulate on Wednesday, citing a heightened risk of terror attacks following Quran-burning incidents in some European countries. At least six other countries took the same step as a precaution.
The US consulate remains open, as the complex is not in Istanbul’s city center and is therefore considered to be a less vulnerable target. Washington has, however, joined a number of other governments in issuing travel warnings advising citizens to be vigilant and avoid tourist hotspots.
Why are there security concerns?
Tensions between Turkey and Western countries have been rising over Ankara’s refusal to approve Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership bids.
Recent protests in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, at which far-right activists burned or desecrated copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, have only strained ties further.
The actions have infuriated Muslims in Turkey and other parts of the world.
Norwegian police said Thursday they had canceled a planned anti-Islam protest in Oslo, saying security could not be ensured. The group behind the protest had reportedly planned to burn the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy.
The German Foreign Ministry on Friday confirmed that Berlin’s ambassador to Turkey had been summoned for talks after Germany closed its consulate.
The ambassador was summoned together with counterparts from several other countries, a ministry spokesperson said.
Turkey alleges ‘psychological warfare’
Turkish officials have reacted angrily to the Quran burnings and travel warnings, and the government on Friday issued a strong rebuke over the closure of the foreign diplomatic missions.
“They are waging psychological war against Turkey,” Soylu told Turkey’s NTV news channel. “They are trying to destabilize Turkey.”
Soylu, who is known for his anti-Western rhetoric, said the travel alerts and consulate closures were part of a plot to prevent Turkey’s tourism sector from rebounding after the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, the chief spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party said Turkey was a safe country and that the security alerts from the West were “irresponsible.”
“Some embassies and consulates are making statements to raise concerns about our country’s security conditions,” spokesman Omer Celik tweeted. “This type of irresponsible behavior is unacceptable.”
In apparent retaliation for the security alerts from Western countries, Turkey issued its own warnings over the weekend. It told its citizens there was a risk of “possible Islamophobic, xenophobic and racist attacks” in the US and Europe.
The German Consulate in Istanbul warned citizens to avoid central areas of Turkey’s largest city and avoid crowds. Several European countries have warned of an increased risk of attacks in the wake of Quran burnings.
Germany temporarily closed its consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, citing a heightened risk of attack in the Turkish city.
The move comes amid rising tensions after right-wing extremist and anti-Islam activists burned or destroyed Qurans in several European cities in recent weeks.
What did German officials say?
In posts on the consulate’s social media channels, German officials announced the consulate would be closed on Wednesday and that all visa appointments had been canceled.
“Following recent cases in several European capitals where the Quran was publicly burned or destroyed, security agencies believe the risk of terrorist attacks in Istanbul has increased,” officials said in a statement.
The statement advised German citizens to avoid Istanbul’s central district of Beyoglu and the popular Taksim Square. German officials also advised citizens to avoid areas with “international crowds” and steer clear of busy public places in general.
The German Embassy in Ankara remained open on Wednesday. It was unclear whether the consulate in Istanbul would remain closed later this week.
Both the Swedish Embassy in Ankara and the country’s consulate in Istanbul were also closed to visitors, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Stockholm told news agency dpa.
The British Consulate in Istanbul is also “currently not open to the public as a precaution,” according to a UK government travel advisory.
Tensions between Turkey and Europe
The warnings of potential attacks come after right-wing extremists repeatedly destroyed the Quran, the holy book of the Muslim faith, in several European cities.
The actions have sparked outrage in Turkey, particularly after the right-wing extremist Rasmus Paludan set fire to a Quran in front of a mosque in the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The Danish-Swedish politician later repeated the act in Copenhagen.
He threatened to continue until Turkey accepted Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance.
Similar protests where a Quran was desecrated and torn up in the Netherlands prompted Turkey to summon the Dutch ambassador.
Several countries — including Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the United States — issued warnings last week of an increased risk of attacks in Turkey.
Turkey, in turn, also issued a travel alert for its nationals in Europe — saying that the recentanti-Muslim and anti-Turkish acts show the “dangerous level of religious intolerance and hatred” on the continent.
Both Sweden and Finland announced their intention to join NATO in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. All current members of the trans-Atlantic military alliance must approve their membership bids, but Turkey and Hungary have not yet approved.
A 20-year-old woman in Turkey has been arrested after it was revealed that she worked as a doctor in a public hospital, despite having never studied medicine.
Ayşe Özkiraz’s family had always wanted her to become a doctor, so after graduating high school she took the medical school exam but failed. But she didn’t want to let her folks down, so instead of admitting her failure and moving on, she told them that she had gotten into the prestigious Capa Medical University and hat she was studying to become a doctor. She even faked her exam score and her enrollment papers so that her parents wouldn’t suspect anything, but this was only the beginning of her farse…
“When I was a high school student, my parents wanted me to study in a medical school. They thought I would get a high score. But I did not get a good enough score to get into medical school,” Özkiraz recently explained. “When my family wanted to see the exam result document, I prepared a fake exam result document and showed it to them.”
But the young girl did more than just lie to her family, she started lying to everyone. She settled into an Istanbul dormitory and told people that she was a medical student. She also printed a fake student ID card and started hanging around Capa Medical University, interacting with actual med students.
One day, when her mother got sick and had to be taken to a hospital in the city of Tekirdağ, Ayşe came home to be with her parent and actually started telling staff at the hospital that she was a doctor herself. She also lied about her age, claiming to be 25 when she was only 20 years old, and used fake university student cards, doctor ID cards and even a plaque showing that Özkiraz had graduated at the top of her class, in order to make her lie believable.
After gaining the trust of the hospital staff, Ayşe Özkiraz was offered the chance to work there, and she jumped at the opportunity, despite having never studied, let alone practiced medicine.
“Over time, I gained the love and trust of the doctors in the hospital. A chief physician, whom I told that I wanted to become a pediatric surgeon, even included me in an operation. During the surgery, he told me, ‘come on, you stitch the wound,’” Özkiraz said.
Somehow, the 20-year-old managed to pose as a doctor, but despite her efforts to keep up appearances, there was only so much she could do. Eventually, actual doctors at the hospital in Tekirdağ became suspicious, because she kept avoiding answering basic medical questions or simply answered wrong. When they became convinced that she was lying about her training, the staff called the police.
While searching Ayşe Özkiraz’s rented apartment, police found several fake ID cards from several hospitals in Turkey, counterfeit documents, and medical uniforms. She was arrested and eventually admitted to posing as a doctor for more than a year.
The woman’s parents still can’t believe that their child would lie to them and believe that there must be more to Ayşe’s story.
“My child would never attempt such a thing,” Ayşe Özkiraz’s mother told reporters. “She ate meals in operating theaters, the head doctor was with her too. She is in photographs with the doctor. When we chatted on video calling, she’s sitting in the room with the nurses. Are these all lies? We can’t understand anything!”
Ayşe Özkiraz isn’t the first person to pose as a doctor. Earlier this year, we wrote about a woman in France who posed as a general physician as well as an ophthalmology expert for more than 3 years, without having studied medicine. Another woman in India managed to work as a doctor for 5 years before being discovered and exposed as a fraud.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck western Turkey near the townof Duzce, approximately 210 kilometres (130 miles) east of Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul.
The tremors were strong enough to be felt in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey’s capital. According to officials, at least 50 people were injured.
The depth of the quake has been estimated to be between 2 and 10 kilometres.
The region’s power was out, and one resident was injured after jumping from their balcony.
A second 4.7 magnitude earthquake was reported 20 minutes after the first.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told broadcaster TRT Haber there was no severe damage caused by the quake, “only some barns were wrecked in these places”.
Authorities are working to restore power to the area.
Turkey’s disaster agency said 37 had been injured in Duzce, one in Istanbul, six in Zonguldak and one in Sakarya on the Black Sea coast, and one in Bolu, to the southeast.
Photos from Duzce at night show many people huddled outdoors, wrapped in blankets and using makeshift fires to keep warm.
Security camera footage of the earthquake has been posted on social media.
Footage of the moment 5,9 magnitude #quake hit Düzce in northern Turkey. Tremors also felt across Istanbul and Ankara. 18 aftershocks recorded. No casualties or major damage reported so far. In Nov 99 in a 7,2 quake that hit Düzce over 800 ppl were killed pic.twitter.com/PUkZxGjl9N
It followed an even larger quake months earlier in the city of Izmit, 100km to the west, which killed more than 17,000 and left buildings in the region in a weakened state.
Some 80% of Duzce’s buildings have been rebuilt since the 1999 earthquakes, the city’s mayor toldlocal media.
Turkey has launched air-raids on Kurdish targets in Iraq and Syria, a week after a bombing in Istanbul which it blames on Kurdish militants.
The raids – dubbed Operation Claw-Sword – struck Kurdish bases which were being used to launch attacks on Turkey, the defence ministry said.
A Syrian-Kurdish spokesperson said two villages populated with internally displaced people were hit.
The banned Kurdish PKK group denies carrying out the Istanbul attack.
As the air-raids began, the Turkish defence ministry tweeted that the “hour of reckoning” had arrived, alongside a picture of a fighter plane taking off and footage of an explosion.
Kurdish-led forces in Syria vowed to retaliate and said the city of Kobane was hit as well as two densely populated villages.
Unconfirmed reports say there are a number of casualties.
It is not clear which targets were hit in Iraq.
The raids come a week after a bombing on one of Istanbul’s busiest streets which killed six people and injured more than 80.
Turkish authorities blamed the bombing on the Kurdish militant group the PKK, which Turkey, the EU and US regard as a terrorist organisation.
However, the PKK said it would not “directly target civilians” and denied responsibility.
Authorities have arrested dozens of people in connection with the attack including a Syrian woman who they say planted the bomb.
Before the arrest, the Turkish justice minister said a bag had exploded near a bench after a woman sat there for forty minutes.
Five people have also been charged in Bulgaria over the attack, according to the AFP news agency.
Kurdish militants have been battling for decades to achieve Kurdish self-rule in south-east Turkey.
In recent years, Turkey has conducted a number of cross-border operations targeting Kurdish groups based in northern Iraq and Syria, aiming to prevent attacks on Turkish territory.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putinsaid Moscow is interested in working closely with Qatar to ensure stability in the global gas market during a call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Kremlin said.
Putin congratulated Qatar on hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which kicks off this weekend.
FIFA banned Russia, which hosted the previous tournament in 2018, from participating in its competitions earlier this year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A court in Turkey has sentenced a televangelist, who surrounded himself with young women he referred to as his “kittens”, to 8,658 years in prison.
Adnan Oktar, who has been described as a cult leader, was convicted of sexual assault and abuse of minors.
Oktar, 66, fronted his own television channel, through which he delivered religious sermons.
He is a fierce opponent of the theory of evolution, and wrote a widely mocked book on creationism.
He was originally given a jail sentence of 1,075 years but an appeal court ordered a retrial involving 215 defendants.
Ten of them were also given 8,658 years in prison by the court in Istanbul. Many of the other defendants were given shorter terms.
Oktar and hundreds of his followers were arrested in 2018 from his home on a litany of charges, including running a criminal organisation, tax offences, sexual abuse, and counter-terrorism laws.
During his arrest, Oktar told journalists that the allegations made against him were “lies” and “a game by the British deep state”, a topic he had frequently spoken about in the past.
In January 2021 he was convicted of 10 separate charges, including leading a criminal gang, engaging in political and military espionage, sexual abuse of minors, rape, blackmail and causing torment.
He was also charged over alleged links with exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the Turkish government accuses of masterminding a failed military coup in 2016 which killed 251 people and injured more than 2,000.
An upper court overturned that ruling.
The convicted preacher referred to the women who surrounded him as his “kittens”
Oktar’s views have earned him a degree of notoriety both in Turkey and abroad, having been arrested multiple times before 2018 and having spent time both in prison and a psychiatric unit over the years.
Multiple copies of his widely ridiculed book “the Atlas of Creation” were reportedly shipped unrequested to academics and libraries.
In the book he claimed Darwin’s theory of evolution lay at the root of global terrorism.
Turkey’s interior minister has rejected a message of condolence from the United States.
“We do not accept the US embassy’s message of condolences,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a response designed to focus attention on US support for groups Ankara considers to be offshoots of the PKK, such as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement on Sunday, saying: “The United States strongly condemns the act of violence that took place today in Istanbul, Türkiye.”
Interior minister blames blast on Kurdish fighters, says those detained include ‘the person who left the bomb’ on Istiklal Avenue.
Turkish police have arrested 46 people over the explosion in central Istanbul that left at least six people dead and 81 others wounded, Istanbul police have said.
Interior minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters on Monday that the suspects included the “person who left the bomb that caused the explosion” on the busy Istiklal Avenue in Turkey’s largest city.
Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, said a three-year-old girl and her father were among those killed.
#URGENT Person who left bomb that caused explosion Sunday on Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue arrested by police, says Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu pic.twitter.com/I08OTC4rPb
Soylu blamed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for Sunday’s blast, in the popular shopping and tourism spot, saying: “Our assessment is that the order for the deadly terror attack came from Ain al-Arab [Kobane] in northern Syria,” where he said the group has its Syrian headquarters.
“We will retaliate against those who are responsible for this heinous terror attack,” he said, adding that 81 people had been wounded, two of them in critical condition.
Turkish authorities are not ruling out ISIL (ISIS) ties, a senior Turkish official said Monday.
The PKK has issued a statement in which it denied involvement in the attack, and expressed its condolences.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday described the explosion as “treacherous” and said it “smells like terrorism”.
In initial questioning, the woman said she was trained by Kurdish militants in Syria and entered Turkey through northwest Syria’s Afrin region, the police said.
Television news reports also showed images of a person, who appeared to be a woman, leaving a package below a raised flower bed on Istiklal, which has a tramline running the length of the street.
Al Jazeera’s Koseoglu said two more Syrian nationals were involved in the attack, according to security sources.
“The interior minister mentioned that these perpetrators are linked to the YPG, the Syrian Kurdish fighter group, which Turkey considers as an offshoot of the outlawed PKK,” Koseoglu said.
“We’re waiting for officials to give more details about the suspects… [including] how they crossed the Turkish-Syrian border as Turkey has been very strict about Syrians who are staying in big cities without residential permits or without being registered.”
She added that the woman seems to be in her late twenties or early thirties and “was captured by the police in the place where she was staying” at 2:50am.
According to Istanbul police, 1,200 security cameras have been checked near the site of the explosion. Police have conducted raids at 21 different addresses the female suspect has been identified to have links with.
Istanbul and other Turkish cities have been targeted in the past by Kurdish separatists, ISIL (ISIS), and other groups, including in a series of attacks in 2015 and 2016.
These include twin bombings outside an Istanbul football stadium in December 2016 that killed 38 people and wounded 155. The attack was claimed by an offshoot of the PKK, which has kept up a campaign for Kurdish self-rule in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s and is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.
Regularly targeted by Turkish military operations, the PKK is also at the heart of a tussle between Sweden and Turkey, which has been blocking Stockholm’s entry into NATO since May, accusing it of leniency towards the Kurdish group.
Condemnations of Sunday’s attack and condolences for the victims rolled in from several countries, including Azerbaijan, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Pakistan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the US.
Greece “unequivocally” denounced the blast and expressed condolences, while the US said it stood “shoulder-to-shoulder with our NATO ally in countering terrorism”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a message to the Turkish people: “We share your pain. We stand with you in the fight against terrorism”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also tweeted in Turkish: “The pain of the friendly Turkish people is our pain.”
European Council President Charles Michel also sent condolences, tweeting: “My thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
A teenager from Turkeyplunged to her death while she was outside taking selfies on a rooftop.
Melike Gun Kanavuzlar died after falling off the top of a four-storey building, as she attempted to grab the phone she dropped during a selfie.
She was on a building in a town called Ortaca in Mugla Province, Western Turkey, on October 12, when she lost her balance and fell four stories onto the pavement below.
The distressing 11-second clip, captured via security cameras on neighboring buildings, starts off with a bystander strollingthe sidewalk outside the building.
All of a sudden, they venture out from under the building’s awning and Kanavuzlar’s body hits the concrete next to them with a sickening thud.
The teen was subsequently rushed to a state hospital in critical condition, before being transferred to an Intensive Care Unit in the city of Mugla in southwestern Turkey, Newsflash reported.
She hung on for 18 days before succumbing to her injuries.
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is suspending – but not ending – its participation in a deal that allows safe passage to vessels carrying Ukrainian grain exports.
Moscow pulled out of the UN-brokered agreement on Saturday, alleging that Ukraine had used a safety corridor in the Black Sea to attack its fleet.
The UN says there were no ships inside the corridor that night.
Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deal would be honoured and accused Russia of “blackmailing the world with hunger” – a claim Russia denies.
Despite the fallout, 12 ships containing 354,500 tons of food, including grain, left Ukraine’s Black Sea ports on Monday, Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry said. This constituted a record volume of exports since the grain deal began, said a spokesperson for Odesa’s military administration quoted by Reuters.
One of the vessels carrying 40,000 tons of grain was destined for Ethiopia, where “the real possibility of mass starvation” existed, the infrastructure ministry added.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its navy imposed a blockade on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, trapping about 20 million tonnes of grain meant for export inside the country, along with other foodstuffs such as maize and sunflower oil.
But in July, a deal between Ukraine and Russia was brokered by Turkey and the UN, agreeing to resume grain exports through the Black Sea ports.
On Monday, however, President Putin said the deal was being suspended, citing the “massive” drone attack on its fleet in Crimea that he alleged Kyiv was responsible for.
He said maritime safety must be ensured and that implementing grain exports under such conditions were too risky.
“Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threats to civilian vessels,” Mr Putin said in a televised address.
Kyiv has not admitted responsibility for the attack, saying Moscow had long planned to abandoned the internationally-brokered deal and used the attack as a pretext to do so.
“In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and it takes on a different character – much more risky, dangerous and unguaranteed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Russia’s withdrawal from the deal has been condemned by the US, who said Moscow was “weaponising food”.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has urged Russia to reverse its decision, saying jeopardising the export of grain and fertilisers would impact the global food crisis.
The Russian ambassador to the US has rejected accusations that his country was exacerbating a global food crisis, saying it was unfair to criticise Russia.
The suspension comes as Russia says it has expanded its evacuations of the occupied Kherson region, despite stating over the weekend that these had come to an end.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkeyis determined to “serve humanity” and move forward with the UN-brokered Black Sea grain export deal after Moscow withdrew from the initiative over the weekend.
“Even if Russia behaves hesitantly because it didn’t receive the same benefits, we will continue decisively our efforts to serve humanity,” Erdogan said in a televised address.
“Our effort to deliver this wheat to countries facing the threat of starvation is evident. With the joint mechanism that we established in Istanbul, we contributed to the relief of a global food crisis,” the Turkish leader added, noting the deal had already provided 9.3 million tonnes of food to world markets.
The UN refugeeagency has expressed great worry over the finding of around 100 naked males at the Greek-Turkish border.
Two countries have laid blame for the fate of the 92 migrants.
Greece criticised Turkey for its “behaviour,” calling it a “shame for civilization.”
Turkey branded its neighbour’s claims as “fake news” and accused it of “cruelty”.
As both sides blamed each other, the United Nation’s refugee agency called for an investigation and said it was “deeply distressed by the shocking reports and images”.
Greek police said they rescued the 92 men who were discovered naked, and some with injuries, close to its northern border with Turkey on Friday.
They said an investigation by them and officials from the EU border agency Frontex, found evidence that the migrants crossed the Evros river into Greek territory in rubber dinghies from Turkey.
“Border policemen… discovered 92 illegal migrants without clothes, some of whom had injuries on their bodies,” the statement said.
Greek authorities said the men were immediately given clothing, food and first aid.
It was not clear how and why the men had lost their clothes.
Frontex said the men were mainly from Afghanistan and Syria, and that the organisation’s fundamental rights officer had been informed of a potential rights violation.
Greek minister for civil protection, Takis Theodorikakos, accused Turkey of “instrumentalising illegal immigration” in the latest in a row over migration between the neighbours.
Speaking on Greek television he claimed that many of the migrants had told Frontex that “three Turkish army vehicles had transferred them” to the river which acts as a border between the two countries. The BBC has not been able to independently verify this claim.
“One would expect a working explanation from the Turkish government’s side,” Mr Theodorikakos said.
A day earlier, Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said in a tweet that Turkey’s treatment of the migrants was a “shame for civilisation”. He said Athens expected Ankara to investigate the incident and “protect… its border with the EU”.
The dispute has reached the highest level of government in Turkey, with tweets on behalf of the president denying any responsibility for what had happened and blaming Greece for the “inhuman” situation.
“The Greek machine of fake news is back at work,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s top press aide Fahrettin Altun wrote on the social media site.
He described the allegations as “futile and ridiculous”, accusing Greece of not respecting the refugees by posting their pictures.
In response, the UNHCR said it is “deeply distressed by the shocking reports and images”, but said it had not been able to speak to the group directly yet – something which it hoped would happen in the coming days.
“We condemn any cruel and degrading treatment and call for a full investigation,” the UNHCR told the BBC.
The discovery of the men comes days after a leaked report by an EU agency criticized some senior staff at Frontex for covering up illegal pushbacks of migrants by Greece to Turkey, something Athens denies. Frontex says such practices by its staff are a thing of the past.
Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a UN address to accuse Greece of transforming the Aegean Sea into a “cemetery” and said it had “oppressive policies” on immigration.
Greece was on the frontline of a European migration crisis in 2015 and 2016, when around a million refugees fleeing war and poverty in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan arrived in the country, mainly via Turkey.
The number of arrivals has fallen since then, but Greek authorities said they had recently seen an increase in attempted arrivals through the Turkish land border and the Greek islands.
Greece has urged Turkey to respect a 2016 deal with the European Union in which Ankara agreed to contain the flow of migrants to Europe in exchange for billions of euros in aid.
Athens will soon extend a 25-mile (40-kilometer) fence along its northern border with Turkey to prevent migrants from entering the country, Mr Theodorikakos said.
An explosion in a coal mine in northern Turkey‘s Bartin province killed at least 28 people and trapped scores more.
At the time of the incident on Friday, around 110 people were in the mine, nearly half of whom were more than 300 metres underground.
Fahrettin Koca, Turkey’s health minister, said 11 people had been rescued and were being treated.
Emergency crews worked through the night, digging through rocks to try to reach more survivors.
Video footage shows miners emerging blackened and bleary-eyed accompanied by rescuers at the facility in Amasra, on the Black Sea coast.
The family and friends of the missing could also be seen at the mine, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.
The explosion is believed to have occurred at around 300m deep. Some 49 people were working in the “risky” zone between 300 and 350m (985 to 1,150ft) underground, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said.
“There are those whom we were not able to evacuate from that area,” Mr Soylu told reporters at the scene.
The cause of the blast is not yet known, and the local prosecutor’s office has begun an investigation.
Turkey’s energy minister said there were initial indications that the blast was caused by firedamp, which is methane forming an explosive mixture in coal mines.
“We are facing a truly regretful situation”, he said.
There were partial collapses inside the mine, he said, adding that there were no ongoing fires, and that ventilation was working properly.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to visit the site on Saturday.
Amasra’s mayor Recai Cakir said many of those who survived had suffered “serious injuries”.
One worker who managed to escape on his own said: “There was dust and smoke and we don’t know exactly what happened.”
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 233rd day, we take a look at the main developments.
Civilians in the southern Kherson region have started to flee to Russia amid Ukrainian advances, and evacuees were expected to begin arriving there on Friday. A Russian-installed official suggested residents should leave for safety, a sign of Moscow’s weakening hold on territory it claims to have annexed.
A Russian region adjoining Ukraine said it was preparing to receive refugees from the Russian-held part of Kherson.
Ukraine’s armed forces have retaken more than 600 settlements in the past month, including 75 in the strategic Kherson region, the government said.
The governor of a Russian border region accused Ukraine of shelling an apartment block, but a Kyiv official said a stray Russian missile was to blame – one of a series of apparent attacks on Russian towns.
Russian missiles hit the Ukrainian port of Mykolaiv. A five-storey residential building was hit, the two upper floors completely destroyed, the mayor said.
Three drones attacked the small town of Makariv, west of the capital Kyiv, with officials saying critical infrastructure facilities were hit by Iran-made drones.
NATO said it will closely monitor an expected Russian nuclear exercise but will not be cowed into dropping support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy accused the International Committee of the Red Cross of inaction in upholding the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war and urged it to undertake a mission to Olenivka – a notorious camp in eastern Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying in Izvestia newspaper that the goals of Russia’s “special military operation” could be achieved through negotiations.
The leaders of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, are meeting for the CIS summit in Astana.
Putin is scheduledto take part in the first Russia-Central Asia summit later on Friday.
Economy
Russia has submitted concerns to the United Nations about an agreement on Black Sea grain exports and is prepared to reject renewing a deal next month unless its demands are addressed, Russia’s UN ambassador in Geneva told Reuters.
Putin courted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a plan to pump more Russian gas via Turkey, turning it into a new supply “hub”, bidding to preserve Russia’s energy leverage over Europe.
The Ministry of Defence reported that the plane was securely escorted to Stansted Airport and welcomed by police there when it landed.
In response to rumours of a security warning, RAF fighter jetswere dispatched to intercept a commercial aeroplane that was “causing concern.”
Typhoon aircraft were launched to meet a Jet2 flight from Dalaman in Turkey that had been headed to Manchester.
The aircraft was safely escorted to Stansted Airport and was met by police upon landing, the Ministry of Defence said.
An RAF spokesperson said: “The RAF can confirm Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were launched this evening from RAF Coningsby to intercept a civilian aircraft that was causing concern.”
Essex Police said: “We led a safety operation during which a Jet2.com flight from Dalaman to Manchester was diverted to London Stansted Airport this evening, Wednesday 12 October.
“Shortly before 9 pm, we received a report of a potential threat on board the flight. It was escorted to Stansted Airport, where it landed safely and was parked away from the main passenger terminal.
“The runway was closed for a short time while inquiries were carried out.”
The aircraft was safely escorted to Stansted Airport and was met by police upon landing, the Ministry of Defence said.
An RAF spokesperson said: “The RAF can confirm Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were launched this evening from RAF Coningsby to intercept a civilian aircraft that was causing concern.”
Essex Police said: “We led a safety operation during which a Jet2.com flight from Dalaman to Manchester was diverted to London Stansted Airport this evening, Wednesday 12 October.
“Shortly before 9 pm, we received a report of a potential threat on board the flight. It was escorted to Stansted Airport, where it landed safely and was parked away from the main passenger terminal.
“The runway was closed for a short time while inquiries were carried out.”
Police said they were then able to establish there was no threat on board.
In a statement, Jet2 said: “The aircraft landed safely and taxied to a remote stand, and customers have now disembarked.
“Our teams are working very hard to look after customers, and we would like to apologise to everyone onboard for any inconvenience or upset caused by this unforeseen incident.
Egypt’s and Greece’s foreign ministers met Sunday in Cairo following controversial maritime and gas deals that their shared rival Turkey signed with a Libyan leader, officials said.
Cairo and Athens have strengthened ties in recent years, including cooperation in developing energy resources, combating terrorism, and signing new maritime border agreements with Cyprus.
At a joint news conference, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shukry, focused on the memorandums of understanding between Turkey and Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the leader of one of two competing governments in divided Libya.
He said such agreements were a threat to regional stability.
The deals, signed last week in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, include the joint exploration of hydrocarbon reserves in Libya’s offshore waters and national territory.
Dendias slammed the deals as illegal, saying they infringed on Greek waters.
The Egyptian foreign minister, meanwhile, said Dbeibah’s government has no authority to conclude such deals, given that its mandate expired following Libya’s failure to hold nationwide elections in December last year.
He called for the U.N. to take a clear position on the legitimacy of Dbeibah’s government, saying the international body should not keep silent.
Turkey’s agreements with Dbeibah’s government came three years after another controversial agreement between Ankara and a former Tripoli government. That 2019 deal granted Turkey access to a contested economic zone in the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean Sea, fueling Turkey’s pre-existing tensions with Greece, Cyprus and Egypt over drilling rights in the region.
Dendias said the two ministers also discussed developments in the Aegean Sea, in reference to tensions with Turkey over the alleged deployment of dozens of U.S.-made armored vehicles by Greece to the Aegean islands of Samos and Lesbos.
There were no immediate comments from Turkey or Dbeibah’s government.
Throughout her leadership campaign, Ms. Truss had refrained from stating whether the French President was a “friend or foe.”
The French President said he hoped for a “new phase” in post-Brexit relations.
The pair agreed to step up cooperation on “ending” small boat crossings in the Channel and announced a summit in 2023.
Leaders from the EU, the UK, Turkey, Norway, and the Balkans met at the first European Political Community in Prague on Thursday.
They discussed energy, migration, and security, with a particular focus on the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke via video link.
The summit billed as a European Political Community beyond the EU has been championed by Mr Macron, who told reporters on Thursday it sent a “message of unity”.
IMAGE SOURCE, SEAN GALLUP/GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Among the European leaders taking part were Liz Truss (top left) and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan (bottom row, 7th from the right)
The prime minister and Mr Macron released a joint statement promising an “ambitious” package of measures aimed at “ending” small boat crossings on the Channel.
Mr Macron said: “We have values and history so I’m happy that we meet again.
“This is an island, but this island didn’t move from the rest of the continent so we do have so many things in common.”
Ukraine’s president told the summit: “You and I are now in a strong position to direct all the possible might of Europe to end the war and guarantee long-term peace for Ukraine, for Europe, for the world.”
Following the meetings, Ms Truss said: “Leaders leave this summit with a greater collective resolve to stand up to Russian aggression.
“What we have seen in Prague is a forceful show of solidarity with Ukraine, and for the principles of freedom and democracy.”
As well as the UK, non-EU members Switzerland, Turkey, Norway, Iceland, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and western Balkan countries took part in the first gathering of the EPC.
Britain is now expected to host the fourth EPC meeting in 2024, with Moldova and Spain to hold the second and third respectively.
When he proposed the plan this year, Mr Macron said it would “offer a platform for political co-ordination” for countries, both those in the EU and those not.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine gave new impetus for cooperation among nations beyond the EU’s 27 member states.
But the EPC has no institutions or dedicated staff. That has led to questions about how any decisions would be implemented.
If it proves to be a success, it may continue to take place up to twice a year. If it’s a failure, it could fizzle out.
Centre for European Reform Director, Charles Grant said one of the measures of success will be “does it persuade Serbia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey to lean a bit more to the West and less towards Russia”.
Last year Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the unorthodox step of cutting interest rates to try to boost the economy. Most central banks raise interest rates to fight inflation.
The transport sector saw the sharpest increases in annual prices at 117.66%, followed by food and non-alcoholic drinks at 93%.
Mr Erdogan has described interest rates as “the mother and father of all evil”, and his economic policies include intervening in foreign exchange markets.
Last year’s cut in interest rates from 19% to 14% has led to a fall in the value of the Turkish lira, which means it costs more for the country to import goods from abroad.
The lira, meanwhile, hit a new record low of 18.56 against the US dollar.
US Banking giants JP Morgan said Turkey’s inflation would remain in the “abnormally high range until policies get orthodox”.
“We will build the century of Turkey together, hopefully by overcoming the inflation issue,” said Mr Erdogan in a televised address on Monday.
The record high is the sharpest inflation surge since World War Two, according to former Turkish central bank chief economist Hakan Kara.
High inflation and the economic crisis is the main problem facing Mr Erdogan’s ruling party, as he looks to secure another term in next year’s election.
Prices are rising quickly around the world, due to factors including Covid-related supply shortages and the Ukraine war, which has driven energy and food prices higher.
Turkey’s foreign ministryhas said it rejects Russia’s annexation of four regions in Ukraine, adding the decision is a “grave violation” of international law.
Turkey, a NATO member, has conducted a diplomatic balancing act since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Ankara opposes Western sanctions on Russiaand has close ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, its Black Sea neighbours. It has also criticised Russia’s invasion and sent armed drones to Ukraine.
The Turkish ministry said on Saturday it had not recognised Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, adding that it rejects Russia’s decision to annex the four regions, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia.
Serdar Gurler says Turkey can have no excuses after suffering a shock defeat to the Faroe Islands in Sunday’s Nations League clash.
Turkey entered the Group C1 contest unbeaten in six matches, winning five of those en route to earning promotion into the second tier of the competition.
However, the country of around 86 million people fell to a 2-1 reverse in Torshavn against a country with a population of under 49,000.
Viljormur Davidsen and Joan Simun Edmundsson gave the hosts, who are ranked 125th in the world – 83 places below their opponents – a two-goal lead early in the second half.
Gurler pulled one back in the final minute, but the Faroe Islands held on to extend their own unbeaten run to four matches.
⏰ RESULTS ⏰
Netherlands and Croatia seal finals berths! 🥳#NationsLeague
Reflecting on a chastening loss for the side coached by Stefan Kuntz, Istanbul Basaksehir forward Gurler told reporters: “We are incredibly sad. There is no excuse for this.
“Maybe we didn’t want it as much as they did. We didn’t fight. We completed the first four matches with very good results.”
Quoted by Turkish outlet Aspor, Gurler added: “Maybe we were too comfortable, but we can’t make any excuses for this evening. In the dressing room, there’s a silence as if you were at a funeral home.”
![Rumeysa Otoman's father, Ahmet Arkin (L) with his brother Sebhattin Arkin (R) who survived the earthquake in Hatay and came to stay with them in Bursa [Credit Rumeysa Otoman/Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cd53bca1-25bc-4526-b549-040d8c1f4d90-2.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C460&quality=80)
