KUWAIT CITY, Feb 7: First relief flight of Kuwait’s humanitarian “Air Bridge” departed Tuesday to Turkiye under the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah. The flight was sent to aid the affected people of Turkiye who suffered from the powerful earthquake that struck Turkiye and Syria, killing many people and injuring many others.

The launch of the “air bridge” was witnessed by the head of the General Fire Force, Lieutenant General Khaled Al-Mekrad, and the Turkish Ambassador to the country, Tuba Nur Sonmez, with the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kuwait Fire Force, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, the Ministry of Health and the Kuwaiti army. Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated the launch of the air bridge, while the Kuwaiti army took over the responsibility of transporting cadres, machinery and equipment by air.

Kuwait’s military on Tuesday sent a pair of planes carrying urgent aid for the victims of a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkiye’s southeastern border region with Syria a day earlier. The outpouring of aid comes a day after Kuwait opened an air bridge for the transfer of relief assistance for the victims of the devastating earthquake, which killed more than a thousand people and left scores of others injured, said an army statement. Kuwait’s rapid delivery of aid for Turkiye in the wake of the natural calamity is a testament to the “breadth” of bilateral relations, the statement underlined.

On Monday, Kuwait’s Cabinet has expressed sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake which hit Syria and Turkiye.

The Cabinet offered condolences to families of the victims and wished the injured quick recovery and the missing safe rescue, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Barrak Al-Shiitan at the Cabinet meeting at Seif Palace on Monday.

The Cabinet, headed by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, was also briefed about His Highness the Amir’s instructions to launch airlift to transport urgent rescue and relief aid as well as medical teams to Turkey. Due to this emergency and upon directives from the state political leadership, the Cabinet ordered a private jet to be sent to the quake-hit areas in Turkey to evacuate Kuwaitis there. It also affirmed that the Kuwaiti consulates in Ankara and Istanbul are closely following up the situation and exerting all efforts to ensure the safe return of nationals to homeland.

The Cabinet also assigned the Ministry of Social Affairs to launch a donation campaign, in collaboration with charities, nongovernment organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, citizens and residents, to collect and send relief aid to the quake-affected people. At the meeting onset, the Cabinet congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the recently held flag-hoisting ceremony which signals the start of national celebrations of the 62nd anniversary of the Independence Day and the 32nd anniversary of the Liberation Day. On these dear occasions, the Cabinet congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah and the Kuwaiti people. First Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Acting Defense Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah informed the Cabinet about the largest-ever seizure of illegallyobtained Lyrica (pregabalin) pills, some 15 million, and half a tonne of the drug in raw powder form in Kuwait. (KUNA)