Two years after the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in modern Turkish history, hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced, with many still living in temporary housing, as rebuilding efforts lag behind initial targets.

Turkey on Thursday commemorates the second anniversary of the February 6, 2023 earthquake, which claimed nearly 60,000 lives including in neighbouring Syria and turned entire cities into ruins.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he and Syria's newly appointed president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had discussed in Ankara on Tuesday steps to be taken against Kurdish militants in northeast Syria.

The meeting between the Turkish president and Syria's new leader will focus on Syria's post-conflict reconstruction, economic recovery and security issues.

Syria's newly appointed president for a transitional phase Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 4, 2025. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/PPO/Handout via REUTERS CAIRO (Reuters) - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa invited Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to visit Syria soon in a joint press conference in Ankara on Tuesday,