2023-02-12

A worsening security situation in southern Turkey has disrupted rescue efforts following Monday's deadly earthquake, international groups have said.

The combined death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has surpassed 25,000 and hope is fading of finding many more survivors, despite cases of miraculous rescues.

German rescue workers and the Austrian army paused their search operations on Saturday, citing clashes between unnamed groups.

Austria's ministry of defence later said that the Turkish army had stepped in to offer its protection, allowing its rescue operations to continue.

There have also been reports of looting, and Turkey's president said he would use emergency powers to punish anyone breaking the law.

There were reports early on Saturday that clashes between unidentified groups in the Hatay province had left dozens of personnel from the Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit seeking shelter in a base camp with other international organisations.

"There is increasing aggression between factions in Turkey," Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Kugelweis of the Austrian Armed Forces said in a statement, made before the Austrian rescue operation resumed. "The chances of saving a life bears no reasonable relation to the safety risk."

This assessment was echoed by the German branch of the search and rescue group ISAR, which, along with Germany's Federal Agency for Technical Relief (TSW), also suspended operations.

"There are more and more reports of clashes between different factions, shots have also been fired," said ISAR spokesperson Stefan Heine.

Steven Bayer, operations manager of Isar, said he expected security to worsen due to the dwindling food and water supply, and hope fading.