HATAY, Türkiye 

The Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation on Tuesday offered support for the reconstruction of Türkiye’s quake-hit region. 

Liesje Schreinemacher visited Hatay province, which was among the 11 Turkish provinces hit hardest by the twin earthquakes last month, and met with earthquake victims living in tent cities.

Expressing sadness over the catastrophe, Schreinemacher stressed the Dutch government and business world are ready to contribute to the rebuilding of the province.

The minister also paid visits to Sarimiye Mosque and the Turkish Catholic Church of Antioch and historical Habibi Neccar Mosque, known as the first mosque in Anatolia, which were damaged by the earthquakes.

On Feb. 6, the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes struck 11 provinces — Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

More than 13.5 million people in Türkiye have been affected by the devastating quakes, as well as many others in northern Syria.  

*Writing by Seda Sevencan