BAGHDAD

Iraqi Turkmen Front head Arshad al-Salihi on Wednesday thanked Turkey for the medical aid sent to Iraq upon the instructions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Turkey and President Erdogan showed once again that they stand by Iraq,” al-Salihi said.

A Turkish military aircraft carrying medical supplies, which departed from the capital Ankara for Iraq to help efforts to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic, landed at Baghdad International Airport early Wednesday.

Turkey has helped at least 125 countries with humanitarian aid, including the US, UK, Italy, and Spain, making it the world's third-largest aid provider during the pandemic.

Iraq has so far reported more than 49,100 cases and 1,943 deaths from the virus.

Worldwide, the virus has killed more than 511,800 people, with total infections over 10.49 million, and recoveries exceeding 5.37 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz