On February 6th, the world was stunned by a catastrophic earthquake that rocked a wide swath of land spanning southern Turkey and northern Syria. The seismic event resulted in an estimated death toll of nearly 60,000 people, with more than 120,000 injured. However, within a mere 12 hours of the disaster, three search and rescue teams dispatched by the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) had arrived at the border crossing, becoming the first group to respond to the millions of individuals in dire need of assistance.
The JCC teams consisted of a total of 184 highly trained first responders, including skilled medics and rescuers. Upon arrival at the disaster site, they were warmly received by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and promptly dispatched to Islahiye in Maras province, an area that had been severely impacted by the earthquake.
In an exclusive interview with Kurdistan Chronicle, Tahsin Akrayi, Head of the Kurdistan Region Emergency Team, highlighted that his team had undertaken 14 days of intensive, non-stop operations, resulting in the rescue of two individuals and the recovery of 12 bodies from underneath the rubble. Akrayi described his team as being "well-equipped and trained." He also noted that unlike other international rescue teams, the Kurdish rescuers worked around the clock, fully aware of the critical moments that could make a difference between life and death.
“The location where we rescued a father and his daughter was not initially assigned to the KRG team. We received a request asking for assistance. Once we arrived, we realized that three other teams had abandoned the location because they could not find the people. We, however, were determined to leave no lives behind. The Kurdish team worked extremely hard to safely remove the piles of concrete and rescue the father and his daughter,” Akrayi explained.
The exceptional performance of the Kurdish rescue team during the operation resulted in the extension of their mission and the geographic expansion of their activities to cover additional areas. The AFAD teams found it necessary to utilize not only the expert human resources but also the advanced machinery and equipment provided by the Kurdish teams to remove the rubble. This underscored the Kurdistan Region's capacity to exceed international expectations as a non-state entity. It also demonstrated that through resilience and the determination to overcome a tragic past, the Kurdistan Region is steadily evolving into a modern society that plays an influential role in the region and the world at large.
“Throughout the cross-border rescue operations, there was not a moment in which national, religious, or ideological differences were taken into consideration. The focus remained solely on aiding humanity, regardless of the backgrounds of the victims in need,” Akrayi added.
During a ceremony in late April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan awarded the State Medal of High Sacrifice to 93 national and international rescue teams, including the JCC from the Kurdistan Region. This was a timely recognition for Akrayi and his team who lived with the pain, panic, and perseverance of the people, the Kurdish official said.
Upon their arrival back home, the Kurdish first responders from both government teams and the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) were greeted by President Masoud Barzani, who commended their work and highlighted that they had brought pride to the nation. Additionally, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with the rescuers and expressed gratitude for their selfless dedication in saving lives beyond the borders of Kurdistan.
It is noteworthy that Turkey was not the sole destination for Kurdish humanitarian aid following the earthquake. The BCF facilitated the delivery of the first shipments of food and medical assistance to the Kurdish areas affected in the northwest of Syria. The cross-border delivery into Syrian territories was a notable accomplishment for the Kurdish humanitarian teams, as the ongoing conflicts in the region made the immediate delivery of aid a challenging task.
Almost three months since the earthquake, the Kurdistan Region continues to send substantial shipments of humanitarian aid to the affected areas where the people need time to get back on their feet, according to Srwa Rasool, the General Director of JCC at KRG’s Interior Ministry.
The official told Kurdistan Chronicle that over 450 truckloads of humanitarian aid were sent to Syria and Turkey by the KRG in the nearly three months since the earthquake. Rasool also highlighted the nationwide donation drives initiated by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, citing them as evidence of the peace-loving nature of the people of Kurdistan who came together to help those in need, irrespective of political and ideological differences.
Rasool further described the JCC as a professional and committed organization that can respond promptly to crises. She emphasized that JCC has demonstrated its capabilities on various occasions, including during its response to the arrival of nearly two million displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees in the aftermath of the emergence of the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014.
Despite the financial hardship that the KRG was facing at the time, JCC, BCF, and their international partners established a safe place for many refugees. Even though many of their hometowns have been freed from ISIS control, thousands continue to reside in the Kurdistan Region today.
During a speech at the reception for the JCC and BCF first responders, Prime Minister Barzani touched upon a noteworthy point: “Others opened their doors for us when we were in need. We know this was a blissful action for them. And now we help others to show that we will never forget their help at those difficult times.”
Mohammed Dargalayi is a journalist and photographer, who has been working for nearly 13 years. He is a member of the Kurdistan Union of Journalists and the Kurdistan Photographers Association. He is a member of IFJ Global.
