Turkey: no call yet for foreign aid after quake

Rescue workers work to save people trapped under debris after an earthquake in Ercis, near the eastern Turkish city of Van on Oct. 23. Photo by REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Turkey has not yet made any call for international assistance after Sunday’s powerful earthquake in which many people were feared killed, a Foreign Ministry official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Turkey had received offers of assistance from dozens of countries, including Israel, and so far had declined help from all of them.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said earlier that Ankara had declined aid offered by the Jewish state after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southeast Turkey.

Writing by Ibon Villelabeitia; Editing by Tim Pearce