Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) sounded the alarm about the consequences of the recent strikes on U.S. bases in Syria.
Gallagher made the comments on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week&#8221; Sunday, saying the U.S. must take a stronger policy of deterrence against Iran after Iranian-backed militias exchanged fire with U.S. military installations in the region on Thursday and Friday.
&#8220;We should be concerned that our deterrent posture vis-a-vis Iran is crumbling,&#8221; said Gallagher. &#8220;We can’t afford another failure of deterrence like that, which we saw in Ukraine.&#8221;
U.S. and Iranian-backed militias traded blows late last week. First, on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-contractor-killed-service-members-wounded-in-drone-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thursday</a>, an Iranian drone attack struck a maintenance facility for coalition forces near Hasakah in northeast Syria. Five service members were wounded, and one U.S. contractor was killed. On Thursday night, the U.S. launched retaliatory airstrikes against the militias affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Those airstrikes killed eight militants.
Then on Friday, the militias attacked again. The groups fired missiles at a U.S. military base <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-proxies-fire-missiles-at-u-s-base-in-syria-after-airstrikes-kill-eight-militants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">near the Al-Omar oil field</a> on Friday, though no injuries were reported. On Friday evening, at least 20 missiles were fired at another U.S. base in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/at-least-one-u-s-service-member-injured-by-missile-strikes-in-syria-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deir Ezzor</a> in eastern Syria, with at least eight missiles making contact. One U.S. service member was injured in the attack.
Militant attacks on U.S. forces are common in Syria. Since 2021, the Pentagon estimates that Iran-backed groups have carried out 78 attacks on U.S. troops in the country. The U.S. military has more than 900 troops and hundreds more contractors in Syria working with Kurdish fighters to ensure that the Islamic State, which controlled much of Syria and Iraq in 2014, cannot rebuild itself, according to The New York Times.
Though the Islamic State has been pushed from most of its territory, pockets of terror groups still exist and continue to attack coalition forces.
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Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

Mike Gallagher

GOP Congressman Warns Of Fallout From Iran-Backed Missile Attacks In Syria

Global Politics

House Republicans

Iran

Syria

This Week

World

At least one U.S. service member has been injured in a rocket attack in eastern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a>.
Journalists in the Middle East reported Friday afternoon that at least 20 missiles had been fired at a U.S. base in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, with at least eight missiles making contact. According to CNN, the attacks, which reportedly occurred near the Conoco oil field, injured at least one service member.
&#8220;More than 20 missiles target the American base in the [Conoco] gas field east of Deir Ezzor,&#8221; journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/hoseinmortada/status/1639365280106176512?s=61&amp;t=FWALZTo60nTMiTu65ZWmDQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hussein Mortada</a> first reported on Twitter at around 4:35 p.m. EST. 
According to another tweet from <a href="https://twitter.com/ajabreaking/status/1639366360445894658?s=61&amp;t=FWALZTo60nTMiTu65ZWmDQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Al Jazeera</a>, a U.S. official said that eight missiles hit the base. Officials were still assessing damage and casualties at the time.
A video tweeted from OSINTdefender, posted around 4:59 p.m. EST, features the sound of distant rocket fire. &#8220;Heavy Rocket Fire can be heard near U.S. Operating Bases in the Conoco Oil Fields in Northeastern Syria,&#8221; the account reported.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Heavy Rocket Fire can be heard near U.S. Operating Bases in the Conoco Oil Fields in Northeastern Syria. <a href="https://t.co/rL0NfGTgxT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/rL0NfGTgxT</a>
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1639371258369392642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/23/politics/syria-suspected-drone-strike-us-contractor-killed/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> reported late Friday afternoon that militant groups affiliated with Iran launched the rockets targeting U.S. forces near the Conoco oil field. A senior U.S. defense official told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/new-iranian-rocket-attacks-injure-more-us-forces-in-syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> that there were actually two separate attacks carried out on two separate bases: the first was a rocket attack, while the other was a drone strike. Officials at the Pentagon were still assessing any damage or casualties at the time.
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CNN later reported that <a href="https://twitter.com/NatSecCNN/status/1639392083579420672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one U.S. service member</a> was injured in the attack. That service member was in stable condition, officials reported.

U.S. Army soldiers

At Least One U.S. Service Member Injured By Missile Strikes In Syria: Reports

attack

Conflicts

Missiles

An air defense system that protected a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S.</a> coalition base in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a> was “not fully operational” when a suspected Iranian drone hit the base on Thursday, killing a U.S. contractor and wounding six Americans.
Why the system struggled or if it would have made a difference in the drone strike if it had been working properly is unknown. U.S. officials are investigating the matter, military officials told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/us/politics/syria-us-contractor-killed-iran-drone.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. Other defense systems at the U.S. base near Hasakah, Syria, were functioning normally but did not stop the attack.
The United States carried out a series of retaliatory airstrikes on facilities in Syria belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which supports militant groups in the region with training and supplies. The U.S. airstrikes hit a munition warehouse, a control building, and an intelligence-collection site. Eight militants died in the strikes, according to a group that tracks conflict in Syria.
The Pentagon revealed the attack on the U.S.-coalition base and the airstrikes against IRGC-backed facilities on Thursday evening.
“At the direction of President Biden, I authorized U.S. Central Command forces to conduct precision airstrikes tonight in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC),” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-contractor-killed-service-members-wounded-in-drone-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. “The airstrikes were conducted in response to today’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria by groups affiliated with the IRGC.”
“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” he added. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”
Militants <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-proxies-fire-missiles-at-u-s-base-in-syria-after-airstrikes-kill-eight-militants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to the U.S. airstrikes with a missile attack on a U.S.-coalition base near Al-Omar oil field in Syria on Friday. No injuries were reported in the attack.
The spate of violence comes at a time when Iran has grown increasingly influential and aggressive in the region. Iran has been aided in its rise by China. Beijing brokered a peace agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
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Iran also may receive an air defense system from Russia, which Iran is backing in its war against Ukraine. Iran has been supplying lethal aid to Russia, including drones.
U.S. forces in Syria are on high alert for attacks from Iran-backed groups. The U.S. military estimates that Iran-backed terror groups have carried out 78 attacks on U.S. troops in the country since 2021.

U.S. Forces

U.S. Air Defense System ‘Not Fully Operational’ When Drone Killed American In Syria: Report

Department of Defense

Terrorism

United States

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran</a>-backed proxy groups fired missiles at a U.S. military base near Al-Omar oil field in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a> on Friday after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S.</a> killed eight militants in retaliatory airstrikes.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby called the Friday missile attack ineffective. No U.S. injuries were reported, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/missile-attack-targets-us-base-east-syria-security-source-media-2023-03-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.
The attack came after the United States delivered airstrikes against what the U.S. military said were facilities belonging to Iran&#8217;s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The American airstrikes hit a munition warehouse, a control building, and an intelligence-collection site, killing eight militants, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/us/politics/syria-drone-attack-us-base.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>.
U.S. forces <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-contractor-killed-service-members-wounded-in-drone-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suffered</a> one casualty after a drone of “Iranian origin” struck a U.S. coalition base on Thursday afternoon. Five U.S. service members and another contractor were also injured in the attack.
The family of the dead contractor was notified Thursday night, Kirby said during a Friday morning appearance on CNN. The contractor was an American citizen.
Kirby stated that the U.S. would protect its service members and bases in the wake of the deadly attack. He said that the U.S. has made clear to Iran that it should not be involved in militant attacks on U.S.-led forces in Syria or elsewhere. He noted that Iran has continued to arm and train militants in Syria, however.
Asked if the U.S. would seek war with Iran over the drone strike, Kirby said no.
“We don’t seek a war with Iran. We’re not looking for an armed conflict with that country, or another war in the region,” Kirby said. “We do seek to make sure we can protect our people and our facilities against these Iran-backed groups. These are militant groups that Iran is funding, resourcing, even training. And they’ve got facilities there, Iran and the IRGC has facilities there in Syria from which a lot of that resourcing and training and facilitation occurs, and it was against some of those targets again that we struck back last night.”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;We&#39;re going to work to protect our people and our facilities as best we can. It&#39;s a dangerous environment.&quot;
NSC Spokesman John Kirby joins with the WH response to the drone strike in Syria which killed an American contractor and injured five servicemembers: <a href="https://t.co/1QwyJ3k812">pic.twitter.com/1QwyJ3k812</a>
&mdash; CNN This Morning (@CNNThisMorning) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNThisMorning/status/1639247850293870593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Militant attacks on U.S. forces are common in Syria. Since 2021, the Pentagon estimates that Iran-backed groups have carried out 78 attacks on U.S. troops in the country.
The U.S. military has over 900 troops and hundreds more contractors in Syria working with Kurdish fighters to ensure that the Islamic State, which controlled much of Syria and Iraq in 2014, cannot rebuild itself, according to the Times. Though the Islamic State has been pushed from most of its territory, pockets of terror groups still exist and continue to attack coalition forces.

U.S. troops in Syria

Iran Proxies Fire Missiles At U.S. Base In Syria After Airstrikes Kill Eight Militants

The U.S. military launched airstrikes against Iranian-backed terrorists in Syria on Thursday night after a U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and an additional U.S. contractor were injured in an attack by a suicide drone.
U.S. intelligence <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-contractor-killed-service-members-wounded-in-drone-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the attack was carried out by a &#8220;one-way unmanned aerial vehicle&#8221; that &#8220;struck a maintenance facility on a Coalition base near Hasakah in northeast Syria at approximately 1:38 p.m. local time.&#8221;
The Pentagon said that the precision airstrikes were launched to &#8220;limit the risk of escalation and minimize casualties.&#8221;
&#8220;This evening, we responded to an attack on our forces that killed an American contractor and wounded our troops and another American contractor by striking facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran&#8217;s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,&#8221; U.S. Central Command later added. &#8220;We will always take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing.&#8221;
&#8220;We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;The thoughts and prayers of U.S. Central Command are with the Family of our contractor killed and with our wounded servicemembers and contractor.&#8221;
The statement said that U.S. forces remained stationed in Syria &#8220;to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, which benefits the security and stability of not only Syria, but the entire region.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Below is a statement from the CENTCOM Commander on the precision strikes in response to American casualties in Syria. <a href="https://t.co/MIJeQh1VtD">pic.twitter.com/MIJeQh1VtD</a>
&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1639109347069272065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
The incident in Syria comes as U.S. and foreign officials have grown increasingly concerned over the state of Iran’s nuclear program. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers during a Thursday hearing on Capitol Hill that Iran is “several more months” away from producing an “actual nuclear weapon.”
The scenario has alarmed Israeli officials who in recent months have been increasingly outspoken about the threat of a nuclear Iran and Israel’s determination to act and stop such an outcome. Israeli officials have reportedly warned officials in the U.S. and Europe that Israel will strike Iran if it enriches uranium past a 60% threshold. Uranium is weapons-grade after it is enriched up to 90%.
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At the same time, Iran has been bolstered by Russia and China. Russia is reportedly considering supplying Iran with S-400 missile systems, an anti-air missile system that Israel fears could protect Iran’s nuclear facilities from an airstrike. China has helped Iran build diplomatic ties in the region, serving as the middleman for a recent agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

Fourth Of July Military Flyover

U.S. Military Launches Airstrikes After Iranian-Backed Terrorists Attack U.S. Forces In Syria

Mark Milley

A drone of Iranian origin killed one U.S. contractor and wounded five service members and another contractor in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a> on Thursday.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pentagon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pentagon</a> disclosed the attack in a press release Thursday evening, saying that the U.S. military carried out airstrikes against affiliates of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which the U.S. <a href="https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> as a terror group in 2019.
“At the direction of President Biden, I authorized U.S. Central Command forces to conduct precision airstrikes tonight in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC),” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3339691/us-conducts-airstrikes-in-syria-in-response-to-deadly-uav-attack/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “The airstrikes were conducted in response to today’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria by groups affiliated with the IRGC.”
The U.S. airstrikes came after a one-way unmanned aerial vehicle struck a maintenance facility for coalition forces near Hasakah in northeast Syria on Thursday afternoon. Of the six wounded in the attack, two service members were treated on site and the others and the U.S. contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq, the Department of Defense said.
“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”
“Our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the contractor who was killed and with those who were wounded in the attack earlier today,” he added.
The incident in Syria comes as U.S. and foreign officials have grown increasingly concerned over the state of Iran’s nuclear program. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-us-general-says-iran-could-produce-a-nuke-within-several-months-2023-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> lawmakers during a hearing on Capitol Hill on Thursday that Iran is “several more months” away from producing an “actual nuclear weapon.”
The scenario has alarmed Israeli officials who in recent months have been increasingly outspoken about the threat of a nuclear Iran and Israel’s determination to act and stop such an outcome. Israeli officials have reportedly <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/israel-iran-enriching-uranium-above-60-israeli-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> officials in the U.S. and Europe that Israel will strike Iran if it enriches uranium past a 60% threshold. Uranium is weapons-grade after it is enriched up to 90%.
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At the same time, Iran has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-could-strike-iran-in-months-unless-u-s-steps-in-former-israeli-general-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bolstered</a> by Russia and China. Russia is reportedly considering supplying Iran with S-400 missile systems, an anti-air missile system that Israel fears could protect Iran’s nuclear facilities from an airstrike. China has helped Iran build diplomatic ties in the region, serving as the middle man for a recent agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Lloyd Austin

U.S. Contractor Killed, Service Members Wounded In Drone Strike

Pentagon

Four U.S. soldiers were injured in an operation in the Middle East this week that successfully killed the intended target of the mission — a senior ISIS leader.
&#8220;Last night, during a partnered U.S. and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) helicopter raid in northeastern Syria, an explosion on target resulted in four U.S. servicemembers and one working dog wounded,&#8221; U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. &#8220;The targeted ISIS senior leader, Hamza al-Homsi, was killed.&#8221;
CENTCOM said that the servicemembers and a working dog were receiving medical treatment at a U.S. medical facility in Iraq.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
ISIS Senior Leader Killed and Four U.S. Servicemembers Wounded in Helicopter Raid in Northeastern Syria <a href="https://t.co/j2a8IWsQw2">pic.twitter.com/j2a8IWsQw2</a>
&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1626618891404189696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Al-Homsi was reportedly overseeing ISIS&#8217;s terrorist activity in eastern Syria.
&#8220;The injuries to the US troops and working dog result from Hamza al-Homsi triggering an explosion on the target near Deir ez-zor, Syria,&#8221; said CENTCOM spokesman Col. Joe Buccino. &#8220;No other ISIS fighters were killed or captured on this target, however, a separate ISIS raid that same night resulted in the death of an ISIS assassination cell leader.&#8221;
ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/4-us-service-members-wounded-helicopter-raid-killed/story?id=97289403">reported</a> that three of the service members were in stable condition while the fourth appears to have only sustained minor injuries.
In January, the U.S. military <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-military-kills-top-isis-leader-along-with-nearly-a-dozen-isis-operatives-in-africa">killed a high-level ISIS leader</a> during an operation in Africa along with nearly a dozen ISIS operatives. A senior administration official told CNN that the operation took place in a “mountainous cave complex in northern Somalia” where ISIS was planning its expansion into Africa and beyond.
“Given the remote location of the operation, the assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed,” U.S. Africa Command said in a statement. “Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations to promote greater security for all Africans.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed that U.S. forces killed ISIS leader Bilal-al-Sudani.
“On January 25, on orders from the President, the U.S. military conducted an assault operation in northern Somalia that resulted in the death of a number of ISIS members, including Bilal-al-Sudani, an ISIS leader in Somalia and a key facilitator for ISIS’s global network,” Austin said. “Al-Sudani was responsible for fostering the growing presence of ISIS in Africa and for funding the group’s operations worldwide, including in Afghanistan.”
The official who CNN spoke to said that U.S. forces wanted to capture al-Sudani alive, but the response from the terrorists ultimately made that impossible, and al-Sudani, along with 10 other terrorists, were killed.
Only one service member was injured during the operation when he was bitten by an American military canine.

Screen Shot 2023-02-17 at 2.25.26 PM

Four U.S. Soldiers And Dog Wounded In Raid That Killed Senior ISIS Leader

ISIS

Military

U.S.

The devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria last week brought death to more than 40,000 people – a number that continues to rise – and homelessness to at least a million. Rescue and recovery efforts, while hampered by weather and logistical issues, have been ongoing. The United States, European Union, Red Cross, and numerous other countries and organizations have <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-syria-government-turkey-medical-technology-730fb5689d8c92863cdcb8affbd39d2d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent</a> aid, rescue teams, food, shelter, and other forms of assistance to the region.
The earthquakes also caused severe damage and destruction to roads, buildings, and important historical sites. Among those sites was a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman-era fortress called the Gaziantep Castle, regarded as “one of the most beautiful examples of surviving castles in Turkey.”
<div id="attachment_502248" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-502248" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-502248" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-157614742-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Getty Images</div>
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck last Monday could be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/at-least-1600-dead-after-massive-earthquakes-rock-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">felt</a> as far as Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt. The quake&#8217;s epicenter was in the southern part of the country, in the Gaziantep province, about 75 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. Nine hours later, another massive quake registering a magnitude of 7.5 struck <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/02/07/earthquake-turkey-syria-causes-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about</a> 60 miles north of the first. As the name suggests, the Gaziantep province – the epicenter – is home to the Gaziantep Castle.
As one of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/world/middleeast/earthquake-turkey-syria-toll-aid.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deadliest</a> natural disasters this century, the earthquake caused severe damage and partial destruction to the Gaziantep Castle. Sections of the ancient castle’s iron railings and stone walls have collapsed, and large cracks have been observed in some bastions, according to a <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/depremde-tarihi-gaziantep-kalesi-de-hasar-gordu/2807373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> by the state-run Anadolu Agency. The retaining wall has also collapsed. Much of the damage, which came from the south, southeast, and eastern parts of the castle, caused debris to be scattered on the sidewalks and streets below the hilltop the castle is perched on. Before and after pictures paint a dark picture of the state of the historic site.
<div id="attachment_502244" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-502244" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-502244" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837159-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837159-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837159-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837159-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837159.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Mehmet Akif Parlak/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</div>
While there is no definitive account of when Gaziantep Castle was built, it was likely constructed during the second and third centuries to be used as a Roman watchtower.. Though the mound the castle is built on dates to the Chalcolithic period — also called the copper age — about 6,000 years ago, <a href="https://www.gaziantep.bel.tr/tr/tarihi-ve-kulturel-eserler/gaziantep-kalesi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Gaziantep website. The site has also been <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/historic-sites-damaged-earthquakes-turkey-syria-unesco-rcna69341" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traced</a> back to the ancient Hittite Empire, where it was likely <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154806617/earthquake-turkey-historic-gaziantep-castle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used</a> as an observation point.
It was Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527-565 A.D.) who greatly <a href="https://www.gaziantep.bel.tr/tr/tarihi-ve-kulturel-eserler/gaziantep-kalesi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expanded</a> the castle in the sixth century A.D., though many repairs and overhauls have occurred since. During Justinian’s fortification, the structure took much of its current form of an irregular circular shape with towers and a surrounding moat. While today there are 12 towers, at one point there may have been up to 36, <a href="https://www.gaziantep.bel.tr/tr/tarihi-ve-kulturel-eserler/gaziantep-kalesi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi’s travel book. Turkey’s General Directorate for Cultural Assets and Museums <a href="https://kvmgm.ktb.gov.tr/Eklenti/92065,gaziantep-castlepdf.pdf?0#:~:text=The%20castle%20was%20first%20built,and%20the%20castle%20was%20expanded." target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> the castle’s perimeter is nearly 4,000 feet and has a diameter of about 330 feet. 
While the recent earthquakes caused great damage and destruction to the ancient castle, it had largely remained intact throughout the last 2,000 years, even in the face of conquest and battle, changing hands from empire to empire and dynasty to dynasty. 
<div id="attachment_502250" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-502250" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-502250" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837228-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837228-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837228-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837228-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1246837228.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Mehmet Akif Parlak/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</div>
After the Roman Empire <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/turkey-earthquake-historic-gaziantep-castle-destroyed?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=Social_Traffic&amp;utm_content=ap_o1px63glh7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">split</a>, the Byzantines took control of Gaziantep. The reign of Justinian, who was emperor during the first major revitalization of the castle, brought great territorial expansion to the Byzantine empire, and his <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/just/hd_just.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">goal</a> was to return the empire to its ancient glory. Justinian was known for his prowess in architectural production, waging a campaign to remake the ancient capital Byzantium, <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/just/hd_just.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Met Museum. 
Being under the Christian control of the Byzantine empire, the castle then <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/turkey-earthquake-historic-gaziantep-castle-destroyed?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=Social_Traffic&amp;utm_content=ap_o1px63glh7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> to the Islamic hands of the Umayyad dynasty in 661 A.D.  After remaining in Islamic hands for the next 300 years, the Byzantines retook Gaziantep in 962. Just over 100 years later, the Seljuk Empire took control of the city. 
Following the Seljuk conquest, the city changed hands multiple times in a period of great uncertainty. Christian Crusaders captured the castle in 1098, and it <a href="https://www.castles.nl/gaziantep-castle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became</a> part of the Crusader state County of Edessa. After the Crusaders, the city went to numerous groups before 1181, when the Ayyubid dynasty <a href="https://www.castles.nl/gaziantep-castle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took</a> control. <a href="https://kvmgm.ktb.gov.tr/Eklenti/92065,gaziantep-castlepdf.pdf?0#:~:text=The%20castle%20was%20first%20built,and%20the%20castle%20was%20expanded" target="_blank" rel="noopener">During</a> the time of the Ayybuids in the 13th century, Malmuks, Dulkadir Principality, and the Ottoman period the castle largely came to resemble what was seen prior to the quakes, according to the Turkish General Directorate for Cultural Assets and Museums. 
Control of Gaziantep flipped frequently between the Ilkhanate, <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Ilkhanate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">part</a> of the Mongol Empire, and the Mamluks leading up to the capture by the Ottoman Empire. The castle <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154806617/earthquake-turkey-historic-gaziantep-castle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> much of its military significance when the Ottoman Empire took it in 1516. 
In recent years, the castle housed the Gaziantep Defense and Heroism Panoramic Museum, a popular tourist attraction. The site was included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage sites <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/world/europe/gaziantep-castle-earthquake-damage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tentative</a> list. 
<div id="attachment_502253" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-502253" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-502253" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247076758-768x576.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1247076758-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1247076758-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1247076758-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1247076758-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />The aerial photo taken on Feb. 10, 2023 shows Gaziantep Castle damaged in the devastating earthquakes in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Getty Images.</div>
Beginning in 2020, archeologists with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Protection and Implementation Inspection Office began <a href="https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/gaziantep-castles-extensive-historical-tunnels-caves-unearthed/news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studying</a> over half a mile of underground tunnels and caves to find the source of “fresh-brackish water” that had previously been an urban legend. Two years later, they found the tunnel exits. Additionally, crosses believed to be from the Romans were found throughout the tunnels, Daily Sabah <a href="https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/gaziantep-castles-extensive-historical-tunnels-caves-unearthed/news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notes</a>. These new discoveries were set to be exhibited to the public sometime near the end of 2022. 
While the total cost of these earthquakes is still unclear, a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/13/turkey-syria-reconstruction-costs-to-come-to-billions-of-dollars-world-bank-says.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the nongovernmental Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation estimates that quakes cost the Turkish economy $84.1 billion. And with Turkey and Syria being well-known for their ancient history, it’s clear that Gaziantep’s iconic castle was not the only major historical site damaged or destroyed. A UNESCO survey notes the organization is “<a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2521" target="_blank" rel="noopener">particularly concerned</a>” for Aleppo, Syria, which was <a href="https://www.apollo-magazine.com/art-news-earthquakes-turkey-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already</a> on the World Heritage in Danger list due to the ongoing Syrian civil war. The citadel in Aleppo has sustained significant damage, according to the organization. 
UNESCO also <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1488/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentions</a> the “collapses of several buildings” at the Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape in Turkey, a fortified city and place of importance during various times in history, including the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. 
At least 1,700 buildings in ten cities in Turkey sustained damage, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/gaziantep-castle-destroyed-turkey-earthquake/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay. But even with the death toll <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/explain/2023/02/14/world/turkey-syria-earthquake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpassing</a> 40,000 and severe destruction felt in the region, there are still <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/miracle-baby-newborn-found-alive-under-earthquake-rubble-with-umbilical-cord-still-attached-to-dead-mother" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hopeful stories</a> being reported of rescue – over a week since the disaster.

Gaziantep Castle

Empires And Conquests: The History Of A Roman-Era Castle Partially Destroyed In The Devastating Turkey-Syria Earthquake 

earthquake

History

Middle East

Readers Pass

Turkey

More than 33,000 people are dead after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/turkey-syria-earthquake-death-toll-surpasses-3600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">massive earthquakes</a> rocked Turkey and Syria last week, according to the latest estimates.
Officials in Turkey reported 29,605 deaths as of Sunday afternoon, while the total in Syria stood at 3,553, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/turkey-detains-building-contractors-as-earthquake-deaths-rise-past-33000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">though the Associated Press</a> noted the numbers from government-held parts of the country have not been updated in days.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/earthquake-death-toll-triples-in-third-day-as-thousands-more-feared-dead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numbers keep rising</a> as crews dig through the rubble of buildings that collapsed when 7.8-magnitude and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria early last week. Those who survived continue to face hardship, in part because of the need for food and shelter as temperatures drop below the freezing mark.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
▶️ Drone footage taken Feb. 11, 2023, shows the extent of the damage in Kahramanmaras. 
👉Survivors Still Being Found as Quake Death Toll Tops 25,000 <a href="https://t.co/I1t9wYSElg">https://t.co/I1t9wYSElg</a> <a href="https://t.co/c1lqXhD5vO">pic.twitter.com/c1lqXhD5vO</a>
&mdash; Voice of America (@VOANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/VOANews/status/1624521128659288064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Not all the news has been grim, as there have been reports showing that even days following the tremors, people are being found alive. Among these bright spots, <a href="https://twitter.com/TODAYshow/status/1624760231820500992" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to NBC News</a>, was a mother and child being found rescued after more than 150 hours. Pets, too, have been saved.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rescue workers save various animals trapped under the rubble in Turkey after deadly earthquakes hit <a href="https://t.co/NaMcfHJlpj">pic.twitter.com/NaMcfHJlpj</a>
&mdash; Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1623764922596220933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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A civil war in Syria that has lasted more than a decade and displaced millions of people has complicated the rescue situation.
United Nations Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths said the world has &#8220;failed&#8221; the people in northwest Syria.
&#8220;They rightly feel abandoned,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/UNReliefChief/status/1624701773557469184" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he tweeted</a> from the Turkey-Syria border. &#8220;Looking for international help that hasn’t arrived. My duty and our obligation is to correct this failure as fast as we can. That’s my focus now.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Animated map of seismicity near Turkey quakes starting ~3am local time plotting Feb 6 M7.8 mainshock (pink), early aftershocks (orange), M7.5 aftershock to the north (tan), and subsequent aftershocks in the north (tan). Time vs. magnitude progression shown on bottom graph. <a href="https://t.co/TTa7qdZWzO">pic.twitter.com/TTa7qdZWzO</a>
&mdash; USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/USGS_Quakes/status/1622765280802885633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The region is situated on major fault lines and experiences frequent earthquakes, but the latest tremors are proving to be historic in terms of deaths and destruction.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who declared seven days of national mourning, previously said his country had been shaken by its <a href="https://www.thestatesman.com/world/turkey-declares-seven-days-of-national-mourning-after-earthquakes-jolt-southern-provinces-1503152858.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;biggest disaster&#8221;</a> since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which killed more than 30,000 people. Facing rising criticism over the nation&#8217;s early response to the disaster, Erdogan also conceded <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/middleeast/turkey-earthquake-public-anger-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;shortcomings.&#8221;</a>
By Sunday, Turkish officials said they issued 113 arrest warrants in connection to buildings that collapsed, and 12 people, including contractors, have already been detained, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64615349" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the BBC</a>.
Assistance has been pouring in from around the world.
President Joe Biden said his administration authorized an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/06/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-the-earthquakes-impacting-turkiye-and-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;immediate&#8221; response.</a>
&#8220;The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response. Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance,&#8221; United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1133177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a statement</a>.

Turkey-Syria earthquake

Earthquake Death Toll In Turkey And Syria Surpasses 33,000

Natural Disaster

This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Syria-Turkey Death Toll Rises
The death toll in Turkey and Syria has exceeded 20,000 people, that’s according to The New York Times today. More than 100,000 are now homeless as aftershocks continue, and at least three Americans are believed to have been killed. Three days in, the rescue efforts continue despite significant logistical barriers.
State Department Reveals Balloon Details
The U.S. State Department said today that the Chinese balloon shot down by the Biden administration is believed to have had antennas likely capable of collecting communications. Imagery from flybys of the balloon showed that the aircraft “was clearly for intelligence surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment onboard weather balloons.”
The House passed a unanimous bipartisan resolution this morning condemning China for its &#8220;brazen violation of United States sovereignty.&#8221; The resolution also demands more information from the Biden administration about the incident.
Fetterman Hospitalized
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday evening and remained there overnight after feeling lightheaded at a Democrat Senate retreat. The development comes after Fetterman suffered a serious stroke while on the campaign trail last year, which raised concerns about his overall health. His team says there’s no evidence of a new stroke.
Another NJ Council Member Shot Dead
For the second time in a week, a local New Jersey GOP council member has been shot dead. Milford Borough Councilman Russell Heller was killed Wednesday, just seven days after Sayersville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour was also shot. Authorities do not believe the two tragedies are related. Cops found the suspected shooter nearby, dead in his car from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound around three and a half hours after the slaying.
Southwest Airlines COO Apologizes For Holiday Chaos
Southwest Airlines COO Andrew Watterson apologized in remarks prepared for a Thursday hearing, saying that he and fellow executives “messed up” amid the company’s holiday travel meltdown. Southwest canceled some 16,700 flights between December 21 and December 31, even as severe winter weather subsided in the days after Christmas.
Burt Bacharach Dead At 94
Legendary composer Burt Bacharach, known for numerous hit songs such as &#8220;I Say a Little Prayer&#8221; and &#8220;Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” passed away Wednesday at the age of 94 in Los Angeles. A spokesperson said his death was due to natural causes.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

John Fetterman

Thursday Afternoon Update: Syria-Turkey Death Toll Rises, Fetterman Hospitalized, Legendary Composer Dies At 94

Thursday Afternoon Update: Syria-Turkey Deathtoll Rises, Fetterman Hospitalized, Legendary Composer Dies At 94

General

Morning Wire

Podcast

The death toll from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/turkey-syria-earthquake-death-toll-surpasses-3600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a massive earthquake</a> and its aftershocks in Turkey and Syria surpassed 11,600, according to estimates from officials on Wednesday, tripling the figure reported on Monday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/turkey-syria-earthquake-death-toll-surpasses-3600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">when the disaster struck</a>.
Grim figures, including tens of thousands injured, keep rising as rescue crews continue to search through the rubble of collapsed buildings. The World Health Organization warned the number dead could exceed 20,000, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/07/first-thing-turkey-syria-earthquake-death-toll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per The Guardian</a>.
“The first 72 hours are considered to be critical,” Steven Godby, a natural hazards expert at Nottingham Trent University in England, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-turkey-syria-earthquakes-8fc4e52f5f261edce7b05d0b06601d3a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Associated Press</a>. “The survival ratio on average within 24 hours is 74%, after 72 hours it is 22% and by the fifth day it is 6%.”
The earthquake, an estimated magnitude 7.8 event that hit before dawn Monday, is being described as the world&#8217;s deadliest in more than a decade. The region is situated on major fault lines and experiences frequent earthquakes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Animated map of seismicity near Turkey quakes starting ~3am local time plotting Feb 6 M7.8 mainshock (pink), early aftershocks (orange), M7.5 aftershock to the north (tan), and subsequent aftershocks in the north (tan). Time vs. magnitude progression shown on bottom graph. <a href="https://t.co/TTa7qdZWzO">pic.twitter.com/TTa7qdZWzO</a>
&mdash; USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/USGS_Quakes/status/1622765280802885633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who declared seven days of national mourning, said his country was shaken by its <a href="https://www.thestatesman.com/world/turkey-declares-seven-days-of-national-mourning-after-earthquakes-jolt-southern-provinces-1503152858.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;biggest disaster&#8221;</a> since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which killed more than 30,000 people.
Even those who survived remain in danger from freezing temperatures.
“There were children huddled around fires to try and stay warm, and a lot of people sleeping in their cars — entire families,” said Okke Bouwman, a rescue worker for Save the Children, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/08/world/turkey-syria-earthquake/heres-the-latest-on-the-earthquake?smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The New York Times</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
More than 11,000 people have now been confirmed dead in Turkey and Syria following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the region on Monday, the deadliest earthquake the world has seen in over a decade, as rescue efforts continue following the devastating disaster. <a href="https://t.co/YbUDfPUx3x">pic.twitter.com/YbUDfPUx3x</a>
&mdash; Forbes (@Forbes) <a href="https://twitter.com/Forbes/status/1623374595448311837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The dire situation is complicated by the years-long civil war in Syria. Millions of refugees displaced by the conflict were taking refuge on both sides of Turkish-Syrian border when the quake hit.
However, there is hope as assistance is pouring in from around the world.
President Joe Biden said his administration authorized an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/06/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-the-earthquakes-impacting-turkiye-and-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;immediate&#8221; response.</a> &#8220;The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response. Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance,&#8221; United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1133177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a statement</a>.

SYRIA-TURKEY-QUAKE

Earthquake Death Toll Triples In Third Day As Thousands More Feared Dead

Disasters

U.S. Military officials said Tuesday that the United States European Command has begun sending aid to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/turkey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Turkey</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a> after two massive earthquakes rocked both nations within the past 24 hours, killing thousands of people.
&#8220;Using a whole of government approach, we remain in close contact with our Turkish Ally to determine what assistance is needed to help those affected by the disaster,&#8221; Marine Lt. Col. Garron J. Garn said in a statement to <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2023/02/07/us-government-begins-sending-earthquake-aid-to-turkey/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=tw_at" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Military Times</a>.
Two earthquakes, which reached 7.8 and 7.5 magnitudes, devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, leaving an estimated 3,000 structures destroyed and approximately 7,200 people dead.
Around 1,500 have been found dead in Syria, and more than 5,400 were killed in Turkey as rescue workers continue to search for survivors following the worst natural disaster to hit the region since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake that killed more than 30,000 people.
The region is situated on major fault lines. In the area affected by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/turkey-syria-earthquake-death-toll-surpasses-3600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earthquake</a>, the dire situation is compounded by the presence of millions of refugees displaced by years-long civil war in Syria who were taking refuge on both sides of Turkey and Syria’s border.
Garn said the command is coordinating with the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, and other U.S. interagency partners to establish what capabilities are needed and available to support requests by the government of Turkey.
President Joe Biden told President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey the United States stands ready to provide &#8220;any and all needed assistance&#8221; to the NATO Ally in response to the tragedy.
Biden said that &#8220;U.S. teams are deploying quickly to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and coordinate other assistance that may be required by people affected by the earthquakes, including health services or basic relief items,&#8221; a readout of Biden&#8217;s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/06/readout-of-president-bidens-call-with-president-erdogan-of-turkiye/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conversation</a> with Erdogan said on February 6.
The U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, and the U.S. Air Force have sent the first round of aid from Dover, Delaware.
&#8220;Airmen from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron processed U.S. humanitarian assistance Feb. 7, 2023, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, in support of search and rescue efforts in [Turkey],&#8221; according to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HQUSAFE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> page.
President Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 provinces on Tuesday that were impacted by the devastating earthquakes.
&#8220;We have decided to declare a state of emergency to ensure that our [rescue and recovery] work can be carried out quickly,&#8221; Erdogan said, Al Jazeera <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/7/turkey-declares-3-month-emergency-in-10-quake-hit-provinces" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The Epoch Times <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/earthquake-death-toll-crosses-5000-as-turkey-experiences-285-aftershocks_5039212.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that international aid for Turkey and Syria in the Damascus region has poured in from all over the world.
Teams from Netherlands, U.K., and Romania have dispatched crews to Turkey, while Israel, Germany, and France have reportedly said they would also offer assistance. India sent a 99-member medical team with X-ray machines, an oxygen generation plant, and cardiac monitors to set up a 30-bed medical facility.
A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/earthquake-turkey-syria-live-updates-rcna69449" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC</a>, that a team of 77 British search and rescue personnel arrived in the city of Gaziantep in Turkey today with specialist equipment and dogs in response to a request from the Turkish government and would start assisting with the rescue effort.
World Health Organization (WHO) officials warned that the death toll could rise to approximately 20,000 as rescue teams continue search operations in the coming days.
&#8220;It&#8217;s now a race against time. Every minute, every hour that passes, the chances of finding survivors alive diminishes,&#8221; World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/who-director-general-s-briefing-on-earthquake-in-turkiye-and-the-syrian-arab-republic-at-the-152nd-session-of-the-executive-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener">briefing</a> Tuesday.
Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

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U.S. Military

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