Pakistani paratroopers unfurl Turkish flag during naval exercise to show solidarity with quake victims

Pakistani paratroopers unfurled a Turkish flag in the sky Sunday at a multinational naval exercise in Pakistan in a show of solidarity with earthquake victims in Türkiye.

Navies from 50 countries including Türkiye, the US and China are participating in the five-day AMAN-2023 naval exercise led by Pakistan in the Arabian Sea.

The biennial event, which has taken place since 2007, began Friday.

Regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia as well as African Union countries are taking part in the event with ships, aircraft, special operations forces, marine teams and observers.

Türkiye this year is participating in the exercise at a limited level due to last Monday's massive earthquakes, which have killed at least 29,605 people.

The naval exercise, organized under the slogan "Together for Peace," is aimed at providing a forum for understanding maritime concepts and operational cultures, enhancing interoperability and identifying ways and means to combat common threats at sea, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.

The drill will continue until Tuesday.

The previous edition, held in February 2021, included 48 countries.