(Times of Israel) Judah Ari Gross - A delegation from the United Hatzalah emergency response organization to Turkey cut short its mission and returned to Israel early after receiving intelligence of a "concrete and immediate threat," the group said Sunday. Some 40 volunteers, mostly medical professionals, were assisting in rescue efforts in Kahramanmaras, one of the cities hit hardest by last week's earthquakes. The main concerns involved proximity to the Syrian border and the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which has seen Islamic State activity over the years and growing unrest among Turkish citizens. "There were threats against different international delegations to kidnap people and hold them for ransom," a Hatzalah spokesperson said. On Saturday, Austrian military and German civilian rescue workers suspended their search operations in nearby Hatay due to a worsening security situation.
2023-02-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive