An IDF delegation consisting of 150 troops arrived in Turkey Monday to help in rescue efforts after a massive earthquake left thousands dead, injured, and trapped.
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The operation – named "Olive Branches" is the military's 30th search and rescue mission in the past 41 years and is being led by Col. Golan Vach, who said it was "an honor to help our friends in Turkey."
"This is the worst situation since the earthquake in Haiti" in 2021, in which 2,250 people died, he noted, adding that this time, soldiers were dispatched to Adana, southern Turkey.
"We are also ready for humanitarian aid, but the Turkish government has requested search and rescue teams at this stage. We are aware that other earthquakes could happen," Vach said.
An Israeli military mission also helped Turkey in 1999, when a catastrophic magnitude 7.6 earthquake resulted in the death of over 17,000 people. The country sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.
In first, a team of volunteers from Israel humanitarian organization ZAKA also flew to Turkey on Monday evening "with the aim of helping locate the missing and provide assistance to those hurt," a group official said.
The devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey as well as Syria have left over 4,000 people dead and many more injured. About fifty countries have already offered their assistance.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
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