Daily Times

“We helped save at least seven people,” said Bashir Blaeed, his face lighting up for a brief moment, at least as much as it could in the dire circumstances.

Blaeed led a team of 105 search and rescue and medical personnel from Libya that reached Türkiye just a day after last week’s catastrophic earthquakes, a disaster that has now claimed more than 38,000 lives in 11 provinces.

“We are with the Turkish people in this hour of suffering,” he told Anadolu via an interpreter in Adana before their flight back to Libya.

“This is a humanitarian mission for our Turkish brothers. We wish a speedy recovery to the wounded and mercy for the dead,” he added. Blaeed and his team members are from the cities of Tripoli and Misrata. Upon arrival in Türkiye, the group was organized into three teams and deployed in Antakya in the southern Hatay province. Among them are members of the Libyan Military Medical Corps, who treated numerous quake victims in the city.

Ali Rhuoma, a team member, said Libyans recognize all the ways in which Türkiye has helped their country over the years. “We are here for humanitarian work. We are sorry for this (situation) … We are so sorry! May Allah bless the people of Türkiye,” said Rhuoma as he pulled up photos of his regular visits to Türkiye, including a recent trip to the popular Uludag ski resort.

Rhuoma, who works in the rescue services back in Tripoli, said he had no communication with his family for the first two days in Türkiye. “When we do speak, they mostly ask me about the situation here. I tell them exactly what is happening here,” he said. The Libyan team was on the clock throughout every day, engaged in search operations and medical aid from dawn until around midnight.

Like the other thousands of foreign teams that rushed to Türkiye, the Libyans too have been won over by the love and care shown by the people.

“Locals would keep bringing us tea, soup, coffee, rice, and other things,” he said.

“They also gave us a tent. They even helped us during rescues. Turkish people really made us feel welcome.”