Turkish Red Crescent delivers aid to civilians in Afrin

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The Turkish Red Crescent has been delivering aid to civilians in the northwestern Syrian district of Afrin, taken from the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) by Turkish forces and Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters.

Humanitarian organizations including the Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent are focusing on humanitarian aid for civilians after the takeover of Afrin on March 18.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Turkish Red Crescent General Manager İbrahim Altan said they organization have been providing food, hygiene products, and blankets to “ease the discomfort of civilians affected by terror in the region.”

Altan stressed that they “do not discriminate between people based on their background or appearance.”

“We are not only around Afrin. We are trying to support people who are close to the border provinces of Kilis and Hatay as well. We want to assure them that we will always be with them,” he added.

Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News in a recent interview, Turkish Red Crescent head Kerem Kınık said the agency is ready to provide humanitarian aid to all 323,000 people living in Syria’s Afrin.

Kınık also noted that the Turkish Red Crescent is currently providing food support for between 10,000 and 20,000 residents in Eastern Ghouta every day.