Operation Dost: Indian Army’s medical team returns from quake-hit Türkiye

A medical team deployed under Operation Dost in Türkiye arrived in India on Monday. The Ministry of External Affairs said the medical team containing 99-member successfully set up and ran a fully equipped 30-bedded Field Hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay and attended to nearly 4000 patients round the clock.

India launched Operation Dost to carry out search-and-rescue operations in Türkiye and Syria after deadly earthquakes struck these two countries on February 6 and claimed over 46,000 lives to date.

Earlier, at the request from the Syrian government, a 40-member contingent of the Indian army, deployed with UN peacekeeping operations, has been dispatched to Aleppo to provide relief to earthquake-hit people of the region. The Indian Army contingent has undertaken several missions to deliver goods given by the Indian government and the international community, including meals, medical equipment, clothing, and other aid.

The Indian army personnel are deployed as UN peacekeepers at the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) mission, and are stationed along the Area of Separation (AOS) between the boundaries of the occupied Golan Heights (by Israel) and Syria. The Indian Army has deployed 180 personnel to provide logistics support to the mission.

The move followed when New Delhi gave a green signal to a proposal for utilising the services of Indian Army personnel stationed in UNDOF mission for providing direct assistance in earthquake relief work.

On February 15, the first convoy transported relief material consisting of rations and medicines, pooled from the Indian government and the international community to Aleppo in Syria. The relief material has been handed over to representatives of the local administration at Aleppo.

Earlier, carrying more than 23 tons of relief material, the seventh ‘Operation Dost’ flight reached earth-quake hit Syria on February 12, the Ministry of External Affairs said, adding the relief material was received by Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moutaz Douaji at Damascus airport.

“7th #OperationDost flight reached Syria with over 23 tons of relief material, including gensets, solar lamps, emergency & critical care medicines, & disaster relief consumables. Received at Damascus airport by Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moutaz Douaji,” tweeted MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

The seventh Operation Dost flight on Saturday departed for earthquake-hit Syria and Türkiye. The Indian Air Force C17 carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency and critical care medicines, medical equipment and consumables took off from Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

The MEA said the assistance being sent for Syria included relief materials, sleeping mats, gensets, solar lamps, tarpaulins, blankets, emergency and critical care medicines, and disaster relief consumables.