Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Türkiye, Syria after Devastating Quake

Emergency personnel search for victims at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Diyarbakir, southeast of Türkiye, 06 February 2023. (EPA)
Emergency personnel search for victims at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Diyarbakir, southeast of Türkiye, 06 February 2023. (EPA)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Türkiye, Syria after Devastating Quake

Emergency personnel search for victims at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Diyarbakir, southeast of Türkiye, 06 February 2023. (EPA)
Emergency personnel search for victims at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Diyarbakir, southeast of Türkiye, 06 February 2023. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia offered on Monday its condolences to Türkiye and Syria in wake of the devastating quake that claimed at least 1,400 lives.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom was closely following the tragic developments in Türkiye and Syria.

It expressed the Kingdom’s solidarity and sympathy with the families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

More than 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured on Monday when a huge earthquake struck central Türkiye and northwest Syria, pulverizing apartment blocks and heaping more destruction on Syrian cities already devastated by years of war.

The magnitude 7.8 quake, which hit in the early darkness of a winter morning, was the worst to strike Türkiye this century. It was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon. It was followed in the early afternoon by another large quake, magnitude 7.7.

It was not immediately clear how much damage had been done by the second quake, also felt across the region as rescue workers were struggling to pull casualties from rubble in bitter weather.



Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis. He expressed Saudi Arabia’s openness to international initiatives aimed at bringing peace to Sudan.
At the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, held in Djibouti, Al-Khuraiji discussed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis.
He mentioned that Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the United States, facilitated talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to the Jeddah Declaration on May 11, 2023, which aimed to protect civilians.
Al-Khuraiji also noted the continuation of talks with the involvement of the African Union and IGAD, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s support for African-led solutions.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to restoring stability in Sudan and urged all parties to act with wisdom, show restraint, and support positive initiatives.
Al-Khuraiji also met with EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber, on the sidelines of the consultative meeting.
In separate meetings, he also met with the UN Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and US Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello.
During these meetings, they reviewed the latest developments in Sudan, explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and discussed topics of mutual interest.
The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) expressed support for international and regional meetings, hoping they would bring positive results to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.
They urged the need that discussions focus on ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need, protecting civilians, and achieving an immediate ceasefire.
Taqaddum highlighted the importance of international legal frameworks for civilian protection and safe passageways during the conflict.
They called on international and regional partners to quickly bring both sides back to negotiations, build on the Jeddah agreements, and secure a binding ceasefire with effective monitoring.
Taqaddum also stressed the need for a unified negotiation platform to achieve peace.