MALAYSIA is sending A reconnaissance team to Syria to conduct an assessment of the humanitarian aid needed by the country which was hit by a deadly earthquake earlier this month.

Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said the 21-man team will survey the area for follow-up action.

“We are aware of the difficulty of entering Syria due to the sanctions imposed on the country. A few days ago, the restrictions were lifted to allow humanitarian aid.

“Malaysia did not wait long and we continued to act and held discussions with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who immediately asked us to make preparations to send an advance team tonight,” he told reporters at the send-off of the special team here today.

Zambry said the special team consisted of representatives of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, National Disaster Management Agency, Malaysian Armed Forces, police, Health Ministry, Malaysian Red Crescent Society and Mercy Malaysia.

He said the team is also made up of medical, security, search and rescue, and logistics experts.

Malaysia is planning to send a military team to set up a field hospital there, said Zambry.

He said the team would fly from here to Istanbul, Turkey and to Beirut, Lebanon before travelling into Syria by land.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that Malaysia will send aid to Syria in the form of funds and medical supplies, including hospital equipment.

On February 6, two strong earthquakes hit the south and southeast of Turkey and the northwest of Syria. More than 35,000 people were killed in the two countries. – Bernama, February 15, 2023.