by Staff Correspondent,

Dhaka – Bangladesh has sent humanitarian aid and medicines for the earthquake victims in Syria, devastated by powerful earthquakes and aftershocks beside Turkey.

The government said on Saturday that a special flight of the Ari Force cargo left Dhaka for Damascus on Friday night to join the international humanitarian operations in the quake ravaged country, which is also devastated by a civil war.

The cargo plane carried tents, blankets, warm cloths, dry food and medicine weighing about 11 metric tons, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

A 17-member rescue team from the Bangladesh Air Force was also sent to Syria, it added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bangladesh sent a search-and-rescue mission to Turkey to look for the earthquake victims trapped in the rubble and to distribute relief goods among the survivors.

A 10-member medical team was among the mission.

The mission, in addition to distributing relief works, is contributing to rescue efforts along with the Turkish national rescue activities.

Bangladesh on Thursday observed a day of mourning for the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, flying the national flag to half-mast al all buildings housing government, semi-government and private offices and educational institutions, and offering special prayers at the religious institutions.