Turkish foreign minister meets UNICEF chief in Ankara

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday met UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in the capital Ankara for talks.

Thanking Russell for her solidarity visit, Cavusoglu said on Twitter: "Grateful for support of international community during our difficult times."

Russell's visit comes after two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, claiming the lives of at least 44,370 people.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes were centered in Kahramanmaras and struck 10 other provinces – Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa. More than 13 million people have been affected by the devastating quakes.

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

Condolences have poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.