US top diplomat Blinken arrives for tour of Turkey's earthquake zone

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in southern Turkey on Sunday and set off on a tour of the earthquake disaster zone accompanied by the Turkish foreign minister.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Blinken and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu left Incirlik Air Base near Adana by helicopter for nearby Hatay province, one of the areas hardest hit by the Feb.6 quake that killed at least 44,000 people in Turkey and Syria.

Blinken arrived at the air base, where US troops are stationed, after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Blinken is on his first trip to Nato member Turkey since he took office two years ago. He is scheduled to visit a tent city in Hatay established for people displaced by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and to tour an aid distribution center, according to Turkish officials who were not authorised to be identified publicly.

On returning to Incirlik, he plans to meet with US and Turkish service personnel, as well as Turkish military families affected by the earthquake.

Incirlik, home to the US Air Force’s 39th Air Base Wing, has been a crucial logistics center for aid distribution. Supplies from around the world have been flown into the base and sent by truck and helicopter to those in need, including in difficult to reach villages.

Blinken is set to fly to Ankara, Turkey's capital, later on Sunday for discussions with Turkish officials on Monday, including an anticipated meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. As well as the effects of the earthquake, Blinken is expected to discuss Sweden and Finland's efforts to join Nato, which Turkey has delayed.

Associated Press