NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan dispatched two Mi-8 AMT helicopters and a task force of 16 rescuers to Turkey to assist in extinguishing forest fires, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Photo credit: Gov.kz.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey expressed thanks to Kazakhstan for showing solidarity and support in extinguishing forest fires. “Thank you to our Kazakh brothers for their solidarity and support,” the Turkish ministry said in a post on Twitter in Turkish and Kazakh.
Earlier, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a telegram to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressing sympathy over the unprecedented fires in Turkey, noting that Kazakhstan is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to their fraternal Turkish people.
Helicopters with spillway devices took off on Aug. 7 to the Turkish city of Mugla, having flown across the borders of the three states with intermediate landings. The joint efforts of Kazakh rescuers with the Turkish authorities will be coordinated by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Turkey.
According to the official representative of the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations Talgat Uali, Kazakhstan also intends to provide humanitarian assistance in restoring forest cover in the burned areas. The planted forest is intended to symbolize friendship and the brotherly bonds between the Kazakh and Turkish peoples.
Fires have been burning across a large area in Turkey since the end of July. Forests are burning near places of mass recreation, near Antalya, Alanya and Bodrum.
