Pope Francis calls for aid for victims in Turkiye, Syria

Pope Francis, on Wednesday, issued a plea for assistance for the victims of two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Turkiye and affected Syria, Anadolu News Agency reports.

“I remain close with all my heart to the people affected by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. I continue to pray for those who have lost their lives, as well as the injured, family members and rescuers,” Francis said during the General Audience held every Wednesday.

“May our concrete aid sustain them in the midst of this appalling tragedy,” Francis added.

Addressing those present, the Pope made a call to pray “that these brothers and sisters of ours may move forward in the face of this tragedy.”

At least 9,057 people were killed and 52,979 others injured when two powerful earthquakes hit Turkiye’s southern and south-eastern regions on Monday, according to the country’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

As the earthquakes affected a wider region, at least 2,802 people were killed and hundreds injured in nearby Syria, according to figures compiled by the regime’s Health Ministry and Syrian Civil Defence.

READ: We fled war to die in an earthquake, says Iraqi woman mourning family in Turkiye