Turkish Red Crescent sends $700 million in aid to Syria

ISTANBUL

DHA photo

The Turkish Red Crescent has sent more than $700 million in aid to Syria since civil war began in the country more than six years ago, the organization said June 11.

“Around 40,000 truckloads of aid material has reached millions of Syrians struggling for their lives under the shadow of conflict,” Turkish Red Crescent President Kerem Kınık said during a fast-breaking iftar gathering in Istanbul, noting that the aid amounted to nearly 2.5 billion Turkish Liras ($710 million).

The organization, known in Turkish as Kızılay, also distributes aid to 3 million refugees in Turkey and over 6 million people inside Syria, according to Kınık. 

As part of a social orientation program, it also offers 820,000 Syrian people in Turkey regular financial support through Kızılay debit cards, which allow them to purchase essential goods.        

During the ceremony, Kınık thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and Health Ministry.

Turkey hosts over 3 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world. According to officials, the country has spent $25 billion in sheltering refugees since the beginning of the war.