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 Tuesday.
“This morning, 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 Sunday. Their homes were liberated from over a five-year occupation by Daesh and YPG/PKK terrorists. Tal Abyad residents on Tuesday 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.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
