World leaders offer condolences to Turkey over wildfires

ANKARA

Many world leaders on July 31 conveyed their condolences to Turkey, where forest fires have led to deaths and material damage.

"Malaysia expresses sincere condolences over the loss of lives caused by the forest fires in Turkey, including in Antalya - the hometown of my brother Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu," Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on his social media account.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Government and people of Turkey in these trying times," he added.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II on July 31 offered assistance to Turkey to help the country confront forest fires that broke out since Wednesday.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said he called Çavuşoğlu to offer Jordan’s condolences to Turkey over the victims of the fires.

Safadi said King Abdullah II has issued directives to provide Turkey with any assistance needed to confront the fires.

“At the directives of His Majesty, we are ready to offer any support needed,” he said on Twitter, adding that his country will “stand in full solidarity with our brethren.”

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressing sorrow. He said Kazakhstan is ready to offer humanitarian assistance to Turkey and wished Erdoğan success in fighting the disaster.

Erdoğan also thanked Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a phone call for sending planes and helicopters to help, the presidency said.

Separately, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said “we are closely following the news of large-scale forest fires occurring in the southern regions of Turkey, our friend, our strategic partner."

Garibashvili stressed that Georgians are in solidarity with Turkey in these difficult times. "I am ready to give any assistance to neighboring Turkey on behalf of the Georgian government," he said.

The Egyptian administration said the country is monitoring the latest developments in Turkey. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed condolences with the relatives of those who lost their lives and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Egypt is on the side of the fraternal Turkish people in the fight against this natural disaster, it said.

The vice president of Hungary conveyed his condolences late on July 31 to victims of massive forest fires in southern Turkey.

Zsolt Semjen sent a message to Turkey's government on behalf of his government, according to a statement from the Presidential Press Office.

Semjen extended condolences to the Turkish government and families of those who died from the blazes.

Since July 28, as many as 98 forest fires have erupted in Turkey, with most of them being in southern regions. The Turkish authorities managed to control 88 of them, and six people lost their lives.

The Turkish president has visited areas affected by forest fires, saying 50 million (Turkish) liras [$5.91million] have been released to meet urgent needs.