UAE FM visits Syria, vows continuing earthquake support

DAMASCUS, Feb. 12 (Xinhua)-- The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited Syria on Sunday, promising continuing support for the country to overcome the repercussions of the catastrophic earthquake, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the promise during his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the capital Damascus.

For his part, al-Assad said the UAE was one of the first countries to stand by Syria and sent huge relief and humanitarian assistance and search and rescue teams.

The latest toll of Monday's earthquake is around 5,300 in both government-controlled and rebel-held areas in Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, while the death toll provided by the government on Saturday was 1,408.

The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in Syria has displaced 5.3 million people, according to the United Nations.