Turkey declines disaster assistance from Armenia, other nations
As it continues to grapple with the aftermath of a massive earthquake, Turkey has declined disaster assistance from Armenia and Israel, two nations with which Ankara has strained relationships, according to Reuters.
Ankara’s rejection of most offers of help -- including from the U.S., Britain and Germany -- comes as workers continue to sift through the rubble caused by the magnitude-7.2 earthquake that struck on Sunday. The death toll so far is at 239.
Reuters is reporting that Turkey has only accepted aid from Iran, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.
Turkey has had a strained, if not stormy, relationship with Israel over its military raid on a Turkish ship leading an aid flotilla to Gaza last year. And Armenia has for years been locked in a battle with Turkey over recognizing the Armenian Genocide in 1915, in which more than 1 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks.
Turkish officials say the decision to decline assistance was not politically motivated.
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-- Jason Wells, Times Community News