Amid speculation that Pakistan did not allow Indian Air Force (IAF) planes to fly over its airspace while going to Turkey and Syria for relief operations, the Indian Air Force issued a clarification saying its planes avoided flying over Pakistan.
The official told ANI that as per standard operating procedure, his planes avoided flying over Pakistan.
They said: “Our planes do not fly over Pakistan as this is our standard operating procedure. Our planes take a longer route by flying from the Gujarat side to avoid Pakistani airspace while heading to Europe or Western Asia.”
On Tuesday night, an Indian Air Force C130J-Hercules aircraft with medical equipment left Hindon airport in Ghaziabad for Syria. The flight was carrying 6.5 tons of emergency aid consisting of vital drugs and emergency medical items.
India extended its support to Syria through the ongoing crisis after an earthquake rocked the country on Monday. Earlier on Monday, people were seen loading medical equipment onto the Indian Air Force C130J-Hercules aircraft.
While speaking to ANI, Rajesh Nayar, PSU at the Ministry of Health (HLL Life Care), said: “Medicines, life-saving drugs and other equipment are being sent to Syria for people affected by the devastating earthquakes. The medicines, life – Life-saving medicines and other equipment are being sent in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health.”
He further said, “Medications used in an emergency that are administered to patients in this kind of situation have been listed. The medications have been arranged according to the list provided by the ministry.”
Speaking to ANI, Rajesh Nayar said: “The necessary medical teams are being sent for the injured people when they enter the emergency. Around 6.5 tons of medicines and equipment are being sent.” He stated that Syrian Foreign Ministry officials will hand over the medicines and equipment to their counterparts.
There was also speculation that Pakistan did not allow planes to fly over its airspace to send relief supplies to Turkey and Syria. In a clarification, the IAF said that as per standard operating procedure, its planes have avoided flying over Pakistan.
An IAF official told ANI that “our planes do not fly over Pakistan as this is our standard operating procedure. Our planes take a longer route when flying from the Gujarat side to avoid Pakistani airspace while heading to Europe or Western Asia.
The two countries have suffered greatly from earthquakes that have killed thousands of people there. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake centered in Pazarcik district struck Kahramanmaras on Monday, hitting several provinces including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kilis, Anadolu Agency reported.
Later that day, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake centered in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras rocked the region. The earthquake was also felt in several neighboring countries, including Lebanon and Syria.
The third earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale struck Goksun, Turkey on Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
The death toll from the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday is now at least 7,266. Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the death toll in Turkey now stands at 5,434, CNN reported. At least 1,832 people have died in Syria after earthquakes struck the country on Monday.
At least 812 people have been killed in government-controlled areas, according to Syrian state media. The death toll in opposition-controlled areas in northwestern Syria has reached 1,020, CNN reported, citing Syria’s volunteer organization the White Helmets.
At least 31,777 people have been injured in Turkey. At least 3,849 people have been injured with at least 1,449 in Syria’s government-controlled areas, according to Syrian state media. At least 2,400 people have been killed in opposition-controlled northwestern Syria, CNN quoted the White Helmets as saying.