Soccer fans in Turkey have paid a heartfelt tribute to young earthquake victims by throwing toys onto the pitch to donate to charity.
The soccer match - which saw Turkish teams Besiktas and Antalyaspor battle it out in a game that finished nil all - was paused after four minutes and 17 seconds, representing the time that the first devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on the morning of February 6 (04:17 AM).
Up to 50,000 people are believed to have perished, with Al Jazeera reporting that nearly 240,000 rescuers are still working around the clock to provide relief for the towns most affected.
According to BBC News, the toys that rained down onto the sports field are set to be donated to children in Turkey and Syria
"Our fans organised a meaningful event called 'This toy is my friend' during the match in order to give morale to the children affected by the earthquake," Besiktas said in a statement via BBC following the match. "The fans threw scarves, berets and plush toys to be given as a gift to the children in the earthquake region."
Defender Tayyib Sanuc said: "There are more important things than football. We are going through difficult times as a country. Together we will heal the wounds. Our fans held a meaningful event - I was very touched. I hope we never experience such a disaster again."
In anticipation of the massive influx of refugees attempting to make their way to Europe following the devastation, The Guardian has detailed that Greece's borders have been fortified to prevent displaced persons from entering the region.
Notis Miratachi, Greece's migration minister, has stated: "The mass movement of millions of people is not a solution," adding that emergency aid needs to be sent to Turkey and Syria.
Though, getting aid into Syria has proven difficult, as President Bashar al-Assad's government has been subject to sanctions by the United States and across Europe, which has significantly slowed down the nation's ability to receive aid.
Moreover, in 2022 Russia vetoed a UN resolution that would have extended cross-border aid to Syria. Evidently, even prior to the earthquakes, Syria has long fallen victim to both political and logistical challenges. These have only multiplied in the wake of the natural disaster.
As a result, many countries are apprehensive about funnelling aid through the Syrian government - something that rescue workers on the ground say is already costing them lives, per AP.
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