• The Austrian Army has halted rescue operations in Turkey.
• Due to an “increasingly dangerous security environment”.
• 82 AFDRU soldiers have been deployed since Tuesday.

The Austrian Army has halted rescue operations in Turkey owing to a “increasingly dangerous security environment” (AFDRU), according to the Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit.

“The expected success of saving a life bears no reasonable relation to the security risk. There is increasing aggression between groups in Turkey,” Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Kugelweis of the AFDRU said in a statement Saturday.

“There was no attack on us Austrians. We’re all fine … The mood among the helpers is good, given the circumstances … We would like to help, but the circumstances are what they are,” Kugelweis continued.

“We keep our rescue and recovery forces ready. We are ready for further operations,” Kugelweis added, stating that a scheduled return to Austria for Thursday remains in place.

82 AFDRU soldiers have been deployed since Tuesday. Nine buried people have been found.

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