Sukru Gunduz
17 December 2020•Update: 17 December 2020
ISTANBUL
An aid convoy of a Turkish aid agency set off Thursday from Istanbul to Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nine trucks -- seven for Azerbaijan, two for Bosnia and Herzegovina -- carrying humanitarian aid left after a ceremony at the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) logistics center in Istanbul.
“Nine trucks of humanitarian aid are on their way; one to the east to Caucasus, Azerbaijan, the other to the Balkans to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo,” said Kerem Kinik, head of the agency.
Kinik said the trucks are loaded with food, furniture, sheltering materials, personal protection equipment due to COVID-19, winter clothes, medical supplies, medicines, wheelchairs, toys, and various medical consumables.
Kinik said the Turkish Red Crescent and the Red Crescent Society of Azerbaijan are working together to help affected people in the wake of clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Stating that a total of 26 trucks carrying humanitarian aid have been sent to Azerbaijan, Kinik said 60,000 Azerbaijani people have been affected by the clashes.
New clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on Sept. 27, and the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.
During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from occupation.
The two countries signed a Russia-brokered agreement on Nov. 10 to end the fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.
“We have earlier sent support materials to these people who had to abandon their houses. After the end of clashes, we delivered winter aid,” Kinik said.
On aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kinik said it is a region that has suffered painful events, and added that it needs help to rise again.
“In this sense, we, as the Turkish Red Crescent, are working together with our permanent delegation in Sarajevo to support our brothers and sisters across Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to support the refugees there in these winter conditions,” he said, adding there are over 10,000 irregular migrants.
* Writing by Sena Guler
