Germany pledges more aid for Syrian earthquake victims

Germany has promised to increase aid to people in northern Syria who were affected by the deadly earthquakes that struck in early February.

"Even though the (Syria's) Assad regime is putting one obstacle after another in the path of the aid organizations: We will not leave the people there alone," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told German mass-market weekly Bild am Sonntag.

Baerbock spoke of the mothers, children and grandparents who had been caught up in more than 10 years of war — with many being forced to flee a number of times — only to now have to mourn loved ones who were under the rubble.

"They now lack even the most basic necessities for survival: a roof over their heads, clean drinking water, something to eat and medicine. That is why we are once again increasing our aid to the region by over €22 million," around $23.5 million, Baerbock told the Sunday edition of the Bild newspaper. That brings Germany's aid for Syria to just under €50 million.

Powerful earthquakes struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, leading to thousands of deaths and widespread damage. More than 46,000 people have been confirmed killed, while many are still believed to be missing. 

The UN said Sunday that the earthquakes had impacted some 8.8 million people in Syria.

UN deputy envoy to Syria Najat Rochdi said that the majority of those impacted were in need of "some form of humanitarian assistance," and that the UN "is fully committed to doing more to help all Syrians." 

Here are other updates from Sunday, February 19, on the aftermath of the deadly earthquakes:

US diplomat Blinken in Turkey to talk aid

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Turkey for an official visit and discussions on how Washington can further assist the earthquake-hit country.

He took a helicopter tour quake-struck area with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and pledged a further $100 million in aid toward relief efforts in Turkey and Syria.

"This is going to be a long-term effort,'' Blinken said 

The United States has sent rescue teams and already contributed an initial $85 million in relief for Turkey and Syria.

The additional aid includes $50 million in emergency refugee and migration funds and $50 million in humanitarian assistance, Blinken said.

"The search and rescue, unfortunately, is coming to an end. The recovery is on, and then there will be a massive rebuilding operation,'' Blinken said. 

Blinken was expected to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Monday.

During Blinken's first visit to Turkey as secretary of state, the issue of Sweden and Finland's bids to join NATO would also likely come up.

Last month Erdogan said he was open to ratifying only Finland's application.

Sweden needs all NATO countries to ratify its application before it could join the bloc.

Doctors Without Borders gains access to quake zone in Syria

Doctors Without Borders, known by their French name Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said a convoy of 14 of its trucks had entered northwestern Syria to assist in earthquake rescue operations.

The medical charity said the convoy carried tents and winter kits to insulate tents from the cold.

Other MSF convoys are scheduled to follow to deliver medical and other equipment.

Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) said it has been pressuring authorities in that region of Syria to stop blocking access as it seeks to help victims of the earthquake.

WFP Director David Beasley said the Syrian and Turkish governments had been cooperating very well but that its operations were being hampered in northwestern Syria.

The agency last week said it was running out of stocks there and called for more border crossings to be opened from Turkey.

Rescue efforts to end as death toll continues rising

The head of Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said that search and rescue efforts would largely end on Sunday night, nearly two weeks since the devastating earthquakes struck the region.

The earthquakes prompted a mammoth search and rescue effort involving local and international agencies.

Rescue teams had been using search dogs and thermal cameras to detect signs of life at sites where it had been hoped survivors would still be found. But those hopes of finding any more survivors have faded.

"No one is alive," said AFAD member Mujdat Erdogan from one rescue site in Antakya in southern Turkey. "I don't think we can rescue people anymore."

Former Ghana football star's body to be flown home

The body of former Ghanaian football star Christian Atsu, who was found under the rubble of the building where he lived in southern Turkey, is being repatriated, according to Ghana's Foreign Ministry.

"The remains will be accompanied by his family and Ghana's ambassador to Turkey on a Turkish airlines flight and will arrive in Accra (Ghana's capital) at 19:40," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

A day after the earthquakes there were initial reports that Atsu had been rescued but these turned out to be false.

Thirty-one-year-old Atsu spent four seasons at Chelsea as well as spells at Newcastle, Everton and Bournemouth.

In September, he signed for the Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor and scored the last of his 33 career goals hours before the quake struck.

kb/nm (dpa, Reuters, AP, AFP)