U.S. navy arrives in Turkey to help with earthquake reduction

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The U.S. navy has begun deploying forces to help with earthquake reduction in Turkey, U.S. officers stated Friday, with a Navy headquarters overseeing the mission and a Marine Corps basic arriving on the bottom.

Brig. Gen. Andrew Priddy, the commanding basic of a naval activity power in Europe, was assessing the scope of U.S. navy help which may be wanted, these individuals stated. They spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate the operation forward of a proper Pentagon announcement, which was anticipated later Friday. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa will coordinate the operation, three U.S. officers stated.

The Pentagon referred questions Friday morning in regards to the deployment to U.S. European Command, which is headquartered in Germany. Officials there didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

More than 22,000 individuals have died because of the catastrophe, which leveled constructing in southern Turkey and northern Syria, leaving 1000’s extra injured and homeless. The United Nations has dispatched support groups to the area, however these efforts have been hampered by infrastructure injury and fallout from the battle in Syria that has fractured the nation.

It was not clear how the U.S. navy additionally would possibly help in Syria, the place the United States maintains a restricted counterterrorism mission within the northeastern nook of the nation. In a press release Wednesday, the highest U.S. officer overseeing American navy exercise within the area, Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, stated that his headquarters has established a crew to “surge support” to individuals affected in each nations.

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While Turkey and Syria border one another, European Command oversees missions in Turkey and Central Command leads missions in Syria. Turkey, a NATO ally, additionally has a a lot nearer relationship with Washington.

It was not instantly clear which American navy models could be referred to as upon to help on the bottom. Two U.S. officers stated that one possibility usually deployed for humanitarian crises, a Marine Corps expeditionary unit, or MEU, is unavailable for the time being as a result of senior commanders on the Pentagon left a spot between their typical rotations by the area. Those models deploy with about 2,200 Marines on board three Navy ships, however none has been in Europe for months, because the U.S. navy faces a scarcity of vessels deemed able to deploy, officers stated.

“If there was a MEU there, it would be responding,” one official stated. “They’re not there, and that’s a problem.”

One chance is the Army’s a hundred and first Airborne Division, U.S. officers stated. Those troopers are unfold out throughout a couple of areas in Europe, together with in Romania.

The Air Force already has begun flying provides and U.S. support staff to the area, together with city search-and-rescue groups, the service disclosed in images launched on Wednesday.

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