Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jan 02, 2026

Turkish minister lauds quick response of Saudi relief teams to quake disaster

Turkish minister lauds quick response of Saudi relief teams to quake disaster

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu has lauded the quick response of Saudi relief teams in support of earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria.

His praise came as the eighth aid plane from the Kingdom landed at Syria’s Aleppo International Airport carrying food, medical, and shelter supplies.

Cavusoglu recently met in Turkiye’s Hatay province with delegations from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and Saudi Red Crescent helping in the aftermath of the devastating quakes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The eighth aid plane from the Kingdom landed at Syria’s Aleppo International Airport carrying food, medical, and shelter supplies.

The minister passed on his thanks to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their country’s assistance.

In a tweet showing photos of the relief plane taking off, KSrelief said: “The departure of the eighth Saudi relief plane carrying food, medical, and shelter materials weighing more than 35 tons, heading to #Aleppo International Airport to support earthquake victims in #Syria and #Turkey.”

On Monday, another aircraft from the Kingdom touched down at Gaziantep Airport in Turkiye carrying medical supplies worth more than SR36 million ($9.6 million).

Awad Al-Fayyad, a Riyadh journalist who arrived in Gaziantep 24 hours after the earthquake, told Arab News: “The Saudi relief bridge had a big impact on the field. Most of the aid received in the first five days was very scarce, but Saudi aid arrived four days after the earthquake in abundance.

“According to Turkish officials, the Saudi aid was the first international aid to be received abundantly in northern Syria and southern Turkey.”

He said that the 30-plus Saudi search and rescue workers sent to quake zones were given a warm welcome.

“I have never witnessed a team the size and diversity of the Saudi team in terms of aid and specialization,” Al-Fayyad added.

The Saudi Embassy’s cultural attache in Turkiye has set up a special service offering 24-hour help and advice to Saudi students attending universities in Turkiye who have been affected by the quake.

And KSrelief has launched a national campaign through the Sahem platform to help quake victims which has so far raised more than SR350 million from 1.5 million donations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Riyadh Air’s First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Completes Initial Test Flight, Advancing Saudi Carrier’s Launch
Saudi Arabia’s 2025: A Pivotal Year of Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Saudi Arabia to Introduce Sugar-Content Based Tax on Sweetened Drinks from January 2026
Saudi Hotels Prepare for New Hospitality Roles as Alcohol Curbs Ease
Global Airports Forum Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Leading Aviation Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Choice on Iran Amid Regional Turbulence
Not Only F-35s: Saudi Arabia to Gain Access to the World’s Most Sensitive Technology
Saudi Arabia Condemns Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with Australia
Washington Watches Beijing–Riyadh Rapprochement as Strategic Balance Shifts
Saudi Arabia Urges Stronger Partnerships and Efficient Aid Delivery at OCHA Donor Support Meeting in Geneva
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Drives Measurable Lift in Global Reputation and Influence
Alcohol Policies Vary Widely Across Muslim-Majority Countries, With Many Permitting Consumption Under Specific Rules
Saudi Arabia Clarifies No Formal Ban on Photography at Holy Mosques for Hajj 2026
Libya and Saudi Arabia Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Telecommunications Cooperation
Elon Musk’s xAI Announces Landmark 500-Megawatt AI Data Center in Saudi Arabia
Israel Moves to Safeguard Regional Stability as F-35 Sales Debate Intensifies
Cardi B to Make Historic Saudi Arabia Debut at Soundstorm 2025 Festival
U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Raise National Security and Influence Concerns Over Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Wall Street Analysts Clash With Riyadh Over Saudi Arabia’s Deficit Outlook
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Cement $1 Trillion-Plus Deals in High-Profile White House Summit
Saudi Arabia Opens Alcohol Sales to Wealthy Non-Muslim Residents Under New Access Rules
U.S.–Saudi Rethink Deepens — Washington Moves Ahead Without Linking Riyadh to Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia and Israel Deprioritise Diplomacy: Normalisation No Longer a Middle-East Priority
Saudi Arabia Positions Itself as the Backbone of the Global AI Era
As Trump Deepens Ties with Saudi Arabia, Push for Israel Normalization Takes a Back Seat
Thai Food Village Debuts at Saudi Feast Food Festival 2025 Under Thai Commerce Minister Suphajee’s Lead
Saudi Arabia Sharpens Its Strategic Vision as Economic Transformation Enters New Phase
Saudi Arabia Projects $44 Billion Budget Shortfall in 2026 as Economy Rebalances
OPEC+ Unveils New Capacity-Based System to Anchor Future Oil Output Levels
Will Saudi Arabia End Up Bankrolling Israel’s Post-Ceasefire Order in Lebanon?
Saudi Arabia’s SAMAI Initiative Surpasses One-Million-Citizen Milestone in National AI Upskilling Drive
Saudi Arabia’s Specialty Coffee Market Set to Surge as Demand Soars and New Exhibition Drops in December
Saudi Arabia Moves to Open Two New Alcohol Stores for Foreigners Under Vision 2030 Reform
Saudi Arabia’s AI Ambitions Gain Momentum — but Water, Talent and Infrastructure Pose Major Hurdles
Tensions Surface in Trump-MBS Talks as Saudi Pushes Back on Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia Signals Major Maritime Crack-Down on Houthi Routes in Red Sea
Italy and Saudi Arabia Seal Over 20 Strategic Deals at Business Forum in Riyadh
COP30 Ends Without Fossil Fuel Phase-Out as US, Saudi Arabia and Russia Align in Obstruction Role
Saudi-Portuguese Economic Horizons Expand Through Strategic Business Council
DHL Commits $150 Million for Landmark Logistics Hub in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Aramco Weighs Disposals Amid $10 Billion-Plus Asset Sales Discussion
Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince for Major Defence and Investment Agreements
Families Accuse OpenAI of Enabling ‘AI-Driven Delusions’ After Multiple Suicides
Riyadh Metro Records Over One Hundred Million Journeys as Saudi Capital Accelerates Transit Era
×