Turkey, Arab League offer support for Lebanon after deadly explosions

BEIRUT - Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay announced on Saturday that Turkey is ready to help rebuild Port of Beirut, which was destroyed by huge explosions on Tuesday.

When meeting Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Oktay said Turkey will also help Lebanon treat the injured from the explosions by transporting them to hospitals in Turkey using Turkish aircraft, al-Jadeed local TV channel reported.

Two huge explosions rocked the port, killing 154 people and injuring 5,000 others, with dozens more still missing.

Oktay arrived in Beirut on Saturday to offer condolences to the Lebanese over the deadly explosions.

Turkey will also offer Mersin Port to transport products to ports in Lebanon using small vessels until Port of Beirut is reconstructed, the Turkish official said.

Oktay added that Turkey offered 400 tons of wheat as well as food products, assuring that this support will continue.

Also on Saturday, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League, announced that the Arab League will offer continuous and permanent support for Lebanon after the explosions.

"We will be waiting for a feedback from the Lebanese cabinet about the country's needs and I will convey to Arab countries and ministers of foreign affairs the results of this visit to Lebanon and the extent of that damage the occured in the country due to the explosions," Aboul-Gheit said following his meeting with Aoun at Baabda Palace.

The explosions that rocked the port shook buildings all over Lebanon's capital Beirut, causing heavy damage in the city.

Damage was estimated by Beirut's governor at around $3-5 billion.

The Lebanese government pledged to carry out a transparent investigation to uncover the facts of the accident within five days.