Jakarta (ANTARA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the Indonesian search and rescue team (INASAR) deployed to assist in the recovery operation following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rattled Turkey on February 6.

According to the INASAR team leader, Yopi Haryadi, as per the statement received on Tuesday (February 21), President Erdogan expressed his gratitude and commended the Indonesian SAR team while receiving the team representative in Antakya, Turkiye, on Monday (February 20).

He noted that during the meeting, Erdogan spoke of having received a call from President Joko Widodo regarding Indonesia's assistance for Turkiye, particularly for the search and rescue of the earthquake victims.

Responding to Erdogan's words of praise, Haryadi expressed his gratitude and pride that the team can help its brothers in Turkiye.

"Representing the Indonesian nation, it is an honor for us to help our brothers in Turkiye. Indonesia also brought the EMT (emergency medical team) to provide medical assistance," as conveyed by Haryadi to Erdogan.

Apart from the Indonesian team, over 20 team leaders, forming the joint urban search and rescue (USAR) operation, also met Erdogan during the closed-door meeting, he remarked.

The INASAR team deployed to Turkiye, under the auspice of the National SAR Agency (Basarnas), comprised 48 personnel, one SAR dog, and two K-9 rescue dogs.

The team has been certified by the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) since 2019, and its personnel are qualified in medium-level urban search and rescue.

The INASAR team established a base at the Hatay Expo in Antakya, Hatay Province, and participated in the joint USAR team along with teams from Australia, Argentina, and Switzerland. The team's work is coordinated by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

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Translator: Devi Nindy Sari R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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