Kyrgyz president thanks rescuers for work in quake-hit Türkiye

ISTANBUL

Kyrgyzstan's president thanked rescuers from the Central Asian country for their efforts in Türkiye, where two massive quakes jolted the country's southern regions earlier this month.

"A special group of 120 people was immediately sent to Türkiye to provide assistance to those affected by the devastating earthquakes. It included rescuers, doctors, cynologists and psychologists," Kyrgyz Emergency Situations Minister Boobek Ajikeev told President Sadyr Japarov in a meeting on Wednesday, according to a statement by Japarov's office.

Noting that this was the first time Kyrgyz rescuers traveled outside the country to conduct operations, the statement pointed to efforts to improve the training of rescue staff and use sniffer dogs to locate victims and survivors in the disaster zone.

"Risking their lives, the rescuers were able to save eight people from under the rubble, including children, and pulled (out) the bodies of 198 dead. In addition, the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Türkiye, as well as compatriots living and studying there, provided great assistance and support on the ground," the statement added.

Japarov expressed gratitude to rescuers for their relief work, which he called "professional, well-coordinated and effective."

Calling the disaster in Türkiye a "common grief" that rallied help to the region, he instructed Ajikeev to make proposals for awarding distinguished rescuers in the operations.

At least 43,556 people have been killed by two strong earthquakes that struck southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, the country’s interior minister said Wednesday.

The powerful tremors were centered in Kahramanmaras province and shook 10 other provinces -- Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa and Elazig.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck in the space of fewer than 10 hours.