Disaster agency asks refugee earthquake survivors to leave tents, says lawyers' group

Photo: AA/File

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Turkey's disaster agency asked 10 refugee families to leave earthquake tents in Elbistan, Maraş, the epicenter of the second powerful earthquake on February 6, a lawyers' group said today (March 8).

The claims were initially spread on social media and were confirmed by the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD).

The group tweeted, "Ten Syrian families staying in AFAD [Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency] tents were asked to leave the tents. Two families said their spouses were Turks, and then eight families were forced to leave the tents.

"All appeals from our members and other institutions in the region were rejected and the families had to leave the tents.

"We never accept the discriminatory policies of the state against refugees, who are disadvantaged after such a disaster. We invite the authorities to end these discriminatory and otherizing policies immediately."

On February 6, two earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6 struck the southern city of Maraş. The first quake in the Pazarcık district at 4.17 a.m. was followed by the second one in Elbistan about nine hours later.

The quakes affected 11 cities in Türkiye's south and southeast, as well as Syria's northern parts, where over 5,000 people were killed.

Türkiye's official death toll from the quakes stands at over 46,000 and is expected to increase further, as over 227,000 buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, according to government figures.

Nearly two million people have been displaced due to the earthquakes. (TY/VK)