Turkey sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine

ISTANBUL

The Turkish Red Crescent and the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) have announced they are sending humanitarian aid and personnel to Ukraine.

In response to the current ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Turkish Red Crescent launched a humanitarian relief operation to assist the Ukrainian Red Cross to help the affected population, the Red Crescent said, adding that five truckloads of relief items were dispatched on Feb. 25.

The Red Crescent is sending blankets, tents, sleeping bags, cleaning and hygiene materials as well as five specialists, one mobile kitchen and one disaster response vehicle.

“The related parties were informed about the route the convoy will take and their location and protection were requested,” Kerem Kınık, the head of the Turkish Red Crescent, said on Twitter.

AFAD said a team from the relief organization had already arrived in Ukraine to coordinate the efforts.

A convoy of trucks including food, blankets, hygiene materials and tents is on its way to the country, AFAD said.

The relief agency also said another convoy of three trucks will depart from the northwestern province of Tekirdağ to deliver aid to Ukrainians who are currently in Moldovia.