Turkish Red Crescent provides aid to Tal Abyad

ISTANBUL

The Turkish Red Crescent has arrived in Syria’s recently liberated district of Tal Abyad to deliver humanitarian aid to needy people, the head of the aid agency said on Oct. 15.

“This morning (Oct. 15) our colleagues reached Tal Abyad along with a convoy of one tractor-trailer and two trucks. They are handing out food and hygiene supplies to affected people,” Kerem Kinik, told Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Action Forum (WHAF) in Istanbul.

The city center of the Tal Abyad district was cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists as part of Turkey's ongoing Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on Oct. 13. Their homes were liberated from over a five-year occupation by ISIL and YPG/PKK terrorists.

Tal Abyad residents on Oct. 15 started returning to their homes.

Kinik went on to say that aid will cross to Syrian regions cleared of terrorists through two new border gates in Turkey's southeastern province of Sanliurfa made operational through Turkey's ongoing operation. 

"The number of gates where we have been delivering cross-border humanitarian aid since 2011 fell from 12 to six after terror groups occupied the region. Now there will be two new gates. With the Akcakale and Ceylanpinar gates, new doors will open for humanitarian aid into Syria," he said.

Later, on Twitter, the Turkish Red Crescent stressed that they are delivering humanitarian aid in Syria in line with “humanitarian values."

"It is extending its hand to everyone regardless of race, language, or religion," it said. 

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to clear east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria of the terrorist group PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.