Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Head to visit Turkiye in wake of deadly quakes

Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), will visit Turkiye on Wednesday in the wake of the 6 February deadly earthquakes, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Taha will visit the quake-hit province of Gaziantep to demonstrate solidarity and express his condolences over the twin quakes that have claimed the lives of more than 42,300 people, the Ministry said in a statement, Reuters reports.

READ: Turkiye earthquakes damage historical Grand Bazaar in Kahramanmaras

He is also expected to meet Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in Ankara on Thursday, it added.

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

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

READ: Turkiye: post-earthquake reconstruction cost estimated at $45bn