Earthquakes in Syria and Turkey kill 11 ethnic Armenians

YEREVAN, February 13. /ARKA/. Eleven ethnic Armenians, citizens of Turkey and Syria, have been killed in earthquakes that hit parts of both countries on February 6, Hovhannes Aleksanyan, , head of a department at the Office of Diaspora Commissioner, said at a press conference on Monday in Yerevan.

"Unfortunately, there are casualties among both the Turkish and Syrian communities," Aleksanyan said, adding that two Armenians were killed in Syrian Aleppo, four in Turkish Malatya and one family of four died in Iskenderun.

In Antakya, one Armenian was killed, and in Diarbekir and Adiyaman, one Armenian each. Aleksanyan said the information on the casualties is not final yet.

According to the latest data, more than 34,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured after two powerful earthquakes in Turkey and Syria on Monday.

Turkish officials ordered the detention of 113 suspects allegedly involved in constructing some of the buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes.

Environment Minister Murat Kurum said at least 24,921 buildings across the region had collapsed or were heavily damaged. -0-