Turkish charity distributes aid for children in Syria

ISTANBUL

A Turkish charity has distributed aid packages to some 1,000 children in need in Idlib, northwestern Syria.

The aid parcels included coats, boots, caps, scarves, gloves, toys, and two tons of milk, the Kardes Eli Humanitarian Aid Association said in a statement on Thursday.

The association also provided the people in need with 30 tons of coal, 150 stoves, two tons of detergent, 500 food packages, 84,000 sanitary napkins, 2,000 bars of soaps, 3,000 toothpastes, 4,500 pieces of adult clothes and 500 blankets.

Enes Boyaci, the corporate communication executive of the association, expressed his pleasure when they witnessed the happiness of children while the aids were being distributed.

Our volunteers forgot that they were tired when they saw the smile of the innocent children who are afraid of their future, Boyaci said.

Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.

Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.

The area has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings which have frequently been violated by the Assad regime and its allies.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar