The US military arrives in Turkey to help with earthquake relief

Comment on this story

comment

The US military has begun deploying troops to assist with earthquake relief in Turkey, officials said Friday, with a Navy headquarters overseeing the mission and a Marine general on the ground assessing the scope of support needed.

brig. Gen. Andrew Priddy, commander of Naval Task Force Europe, arrived Thursday at Incirlik Air Base, a Turkish base used by the US military about 120 miles west of the epicenter. He was joined by a team from the US European Command headquarters in Germany. Officials said any assistance provided by US forces would be coordinated through the US Agency for International Development at Turkey’s request.

US forces are already assisting with search and rescue efforts, providing medical and other assistance, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of European Command, said in a statement. He described the earthquake as an “incalculable catastrophe”.

Live updates: Turkey and Syria earthquake: death toll exceeds 23,000

The Army’s expanded disaster response mission, first reported by The Washington Post, has been announced as the death toll from the quakes has risen to more than 23,000. Dozens of buildings were destroyed in southern Turkey and northern Syria, leaving thousands homeless and injured. The harsh winter weather compounded the suffering.

The United Nations has sent relief teams to the area as well, but these efforts have been hampered by damage to infrastructure and the ongoing conflict in Syria, which has fractured the country.

It was not clear how the army could also help in Syria, where the United States maintains a limited counterterrorism mission in the northeast. In a statement on Wednesday, the senior US officer overseeing US military activity there, Gen. Michael “Eric” Corella, said his headquarters had set up a team to “increase support” for affected people in both countries.

While Turkey and Syria border each other, European Command oversees US military missions in Turkey and Central Command commands missions in Syria. Turkey, a NATO ally, has a much closer relationship with Washington, though it is strained at times.

Corella spokesman Col. Joe Buccino said Friday that Central Command is “leaning as forward as possible” in preparation to support people in Turkey or northern Syria. The general and his staff are in contact with European Command, USAID, and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the group in northern Syria with which the United States has participated in the campaign against the Islamic State.

Nowhere to Flee: An earthquake displaces Syrians in rebel territory once again

The Department of Defense has not specified which US military units may be called upon to assist on the ground. A US military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal talks, said on Friday that “there hasn’t been a huge personnel request” yet.

Two other US officials said that an option often deployed for humanitarian crises, a Marine Expeditionary Unit, or MEU, is not available because senior commanders at the Pentagon have left a gap between their usual rotations in the region. Those units are deployed with about 2,200 Marines aboard three Navy ships, officials said, but none have been in Europe for months as the US military faces a shortage of ships deemed ready to go.

“If there is a MEU, it will respond,” said one official. “They’re not there, and that’s a problem.”

US Army spokesman Lt. Cmdr. The aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush and its escort ships arrived in the eastern Mediterranean within hours of being directed there Tuesday, Daniel Day said Friday, ready to provide logistics, as well as medical support and helicopters.

Army helicopters have also begun flights from Incirlik, including delivering first responders to the locations most affected by the earthquakes and transporting injured civilians to medical care. Day said that additional US aircraft present in Europe will be sent to Incirlik to enhance its capacity.

Day said US Air Force personnel stationed in Incirlik are supporting Turkish military forces as they offload thousands of pounds of food and other aid that is pouring in from allies and partners. Air Force planes are flying in supplies and relief workers from the United States, including urban search and rescue teams.

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/10/turkey-earthquake-us-navy-marine-corps/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos