'Ottoman scouts' return to aid post-quake operations in Türkiye

The Muslim Scouts of Lebanon spent per week within the quake-hit provinces of Adana and Hatay to assist in rescue efforts in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent and Türkiye’s catastrophe company.

Over 9,000 international search and rescue personnel, including those from Lebanon, flew into Türkiye after the quakes. — Over 9,000 worldwide search and rescue personnel, together with these from Lebanon, flew into Türkiye after the quakes.
(AA)

A contingent of erstwhile “Ottoman Scouts” from Lebanon has returned to Türkiye within the wake of the lethal earthquakes that hit the nation on February 6.

Mahmoud Madi, chief of a 34-member contingent of the Muslim Scouts of Lebanon, mentioned they reached Türkiye on February 11 and the workforce was deployed in Adana province.

The workforce, which contains of 12 rescue personnel and 10 medics apart from employees for logistics, shifted to Hatay province from there for search, rescue and logistics work.

“Soon after the news of the damage in Türkiye due to the twin earthquakes, my colleague Mr Wissam Mustafa El Hajjar contacted the Scouting and Guiding Federation of Türkiye and we started packing to come here,” Madi mentioned.

The members of the Muslim Scouts of Lebanon labored alongside the Turkish Red Crescent and Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) apart from the Scouting and Guiding Federation of Türkiye throughout the previous week within the quake-affected areas.

“The situation was emotional, how people were receiving us … how they were looking after us,” mentioned Madi through Fadi Iskandarani, an interpreter who flew from the UK to affix the Muslim Scouts within the post-quake operations.

13 million affected

At least 41,156 individuals have been killed by the 2 robust earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on February 6, affecting greater than 13 million individuals, based on the most recent official figures.

Several nations within the area, together with Syria and Lebanon, additionally felt the robust tremors that struck Türkiye within the area of fewer than 10 hours.

More than 249,000 search and rescue personnel are at the moment working within the discipline, based on AFAD.

Around 100 nations have provided help to date, with many having despatched rescue groups.

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Ottoman Scouts

It was in 1912 when two Muslim brothers from then British India laid the inspiration of Al Kashaaf al Utsmani, or Ottoman Scouts.

A yr later, the management of the Ottoman Scouts “paid an official visit” to Istanbul, then the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Current day Lebanon was a part of the state of the Ottomans these days.

“At that time, there were no borders, so people (from the Ottoman Scouts) came to Istanbul, trying to meet officials and explain to them their work in that part of the world, which is now called Lebanon,” El Hajjar advised Anadolu Agency, exhibiting the primary brand of the Ottoman Scouts on his cellphone.

After World War I, it was became the Muslim Scouts of Lebanon. Fast ahead to 2004, the Muslim Scouts of Lebanon formally established relations with the Scouting and Guiding Federation of Türkiye.

“We have held four national training camps with Turkish counterparts in Istanbul, Erzurum, Konya and Canakkale,” El Hajjar mentioned, lauding the camaraderie between the 2 nations.

Here is how one can assist the earthquake victims.