For the first time in 35 years, the border between Turkey and Armenia reopened on Saturday to deliver humanitarian aid to people affected by Monday’s massive earthquakes in southern Turkey, according to AFP and Anadolu news agencies.

Five trucks carrying humanitarian aid from Armenia crossed the border at the Alikan border crossing in Igdir province in eastern Turkey.

#UPDATE Five trucks with humanitarian aid, including food and water, arrived in Turkey from the Alikan border crossing, Turkish Special Representative for Dialogue with Armenia Serdar Kılıç said on Twitter. State news agency Anadolu reported that it opened for the first time since 1988. pic.twitter.com/hW8CYno32s

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 11, 2023

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan shared a video of trucks driving over a bridge to Turkey.

“Humanitarian aid from Armenia crossed the Margara Bridge on the Armenian-Turkish border and headed to the area affected by the earthquake,” Kostanyan wrote on Twitter.

Turkey’s Special Representative for Steps to Normalize Relations with Armenia Serdar Kilic thanked Armenia on Twitter for its help.

“Thank you, dear Vahan Kostanyan, thank you, dear Ruben Rubinyan, for the good deeds,” Kilic said. “I will always remember the generous assistance sent by the people of Armenia to alleviate the suffering of our people in the earthquake-affected region of Turkey.”

The Alikan border crossing was also used in 1988, when a major earthquake struck Armenia, to send aid collected by the Turkish Red Crescent to the affected areas.

Last year, Turkish and Armenian officials agreed to open land borders to third-country nationals visiting both countries as soon as possible, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

As part of these efforts, Turkey and Armenia have also started commercial flights from February 2022 after a two-year hiatus.

Source: AFP, Anadolu.