Turkish Red Crescent Urges Aid Groups To Join Efforts In Northern Syria

Turkish Red Crescent President Kerem Kinik told Sputnik in an interview that his organization was ready to accumulate aid for northern Syria from other humanitarian groups and urged them to join in on the effort

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) Turkish Red Crescent President Kerem Kinik told Sputnik in an interview that his organization was ready to accumulate aid for northern Syria from other humanitarian groups and urged them to join in on the effort.

"We established two custom gates in [the towns of] Akcakale and in Ceylanpinar for the cross-border international humanitarian aid. So we are calling all humanitarian actors and agencies to provide cross-border assistance from the Turkish border through Turkish Red Crescent to the Northern part of Syria," Kinik, who is also a vice president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said.

On October 9, Turkey launched an offensive in northern Syria to clear the border area of the Kurdish militia Ankara views as a terrorist group.

Another declared goal is to create conditions for the return of a portion of the some 3.6 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey.

Turkish troops seized the cities of Ras al-Ain and Tell Abiad during the first days of operation. This happened as the United States began withdrawing its forces from the area.

Syrian government forces were later dispatched to the north at the Kurds' request. They have already taken control over a number of settlements in the Raqqa and Aleppo provinces. Russian military police are helping Damascus ensure order in the area.

A number of countries have expressed concerns that the Turkish incursion against the Kurds might jeopardize the counterterrorism efforts and prompt more Syrians to flee their homes.