Claims that 'the military was late to respond to the earthquake' had sparked debate: Statement from the Ministry of National Defense regarding the February 6 earthquakes

The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) has issued a statement regarding the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş.

The following statements were included in the post shared on the Ministry's social media account:

"Our Turkish Armed Forces rushed to the aid of our citizens during those difficult days with all their resources. Our soldiers worked heart and soul, day and night, to carry out many tasks, including search and rescue operations, the distribution of aid supplies, ensuring public order, and contributing to healthcare services. Today, our state has kept its promise and built hundreds of thousands of homes in the earthquake zone. On the second anniversary of those difficult days, we remember our citizens who lost their lives with mercy, and we wholeheartedly salute our citizens who have always stood by our state in this 'Unity of the Century'."

The post also included a video regarding the efforts carried out following the earthquakes on February 6, 2023.

Onlar en zor anlarda “yardım eli” olabilmek için yetiştirildi! ????

Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerimizin Doğal Afetler Arama Kurtarma (DAK) Tabur Komutanlığı, 6 Şubat depremleri sırasında bir çok ilde vatandaşlarımızın yardımına koştu.

Pek çok vatandaşımızın hayata tutunmasını sağlayan… pic.twitter.com/768Pfhm5UA

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) February 6, 2025

The question of why the Turkish Armed Forces did not immediately participate in search and rescue and response efforts after the earthquake had been a subject of long-standing debate. 

The Minister of National Defense at the time, Hulusi Akar, had responded to criticisms that "the military was late to respond to the earthquake" by saying, "These biased claims, which do not reflect the truth, cannot be explained by good intentions. The Ministry of National Defense and the elements of the Turkish Armed Forces, with their soldiers, civilians, workers, and technical personnel, mobilized from the very first moment and rushed to the side of their nation."

News Source: AA