QRCS mourns personnel killed in earthquake

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) announced the death of four personnel from its representation mission in Turkiye, who were operating in Syria, as a result of the devastating earthquakes that struck both countries on Monday.
The deceased are Nisreen al-Hussein (psychosocial support professional at Salqin Clinic in Syria), Doaa Yasser Ramadan (health system support pharmacist in Syria), Mustafa al-Daghim (mobile clinic field officer at Al-Andalus Camp), and Mohannad Youssef al-Aali (driver in Azmarin town).
Other personnel of the mission lost family members in Turkiye and Syria because of the earthquake-caused destruction of residential buildings in the affected areas, a QRCS statement explained.
QRCS secretary-general Ali bin Hassan al-Hammadi expressed his deep sorrow for the devastation caused by the earthquake, and the thousands of casualties, including four employees of QRCS’ representation mission in Turkiye. He extended his condolences to the families of the deceased, the two sister National Societies, and the Turkish and Syrian nations in this painful affliction.
Al-Hammadi said: “The tragedy affected some QRCS’ personnel working in Syria, as well as their families. To all of us, the agony is double, with the loss of dear colleagues who spared no effort to deliver humanitarian aid to the unfortunate people of Syria. Amid such an appalling tragedy, let’s pray for the deceased, the injured, the grieved nations, and all humanity”.
According to him, QRCS would keep supporting the victims both in Syria and Turkiye, to relieve and help them overcome the ordeal.
QRCS has already activated its emergency operations room and launched a $10mn fundraising campaign to provide more humanitarian aid. QRCS’ field personnel in northern Syria are currently distributing the first batch of emergency relief aid, consisting of 4,800 food parcels, for the benefit of the displaced Syrian families most affected by the quake.
Pursuant to the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, ordering an airlift from Qatar to Turkiye, QRCS prepared its contingency stock of relief materials in Doha to be deployed to the affected areas, in co-operation with Qatar Amiri Air Force and Qatar Fund for Development.
The emergency relief shipment contains 35 tonnes of aid items, including 2,250 heavy blankets, 2,750 light blankets, 1,000 jerrycans, 3,000 mosquito nets, 2,000 tarpaulins, 500 shelter maintenance kits, and 1,360 family hygiene kits.