Türkiye's IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation provided aid to 570,000 Syrian war victims in 2023

By Esref Musa and Ahmet Karaahmet

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - Türkiye's IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation said it provided 42,000 tons of aid to 570,000 war victims in Syria over the course of 2023.

Yakup Isik, the vice president of IHH's Syrian operations, told Anadolu that it provided 1,658 truckloads of humanitarian supplies, adding that "the aid addressed crucial needs, and we plan to continue our efforts ahead."

He said the items included food, blankets, fuel, clothing, tents, and hygiene kits, and were sent to the war-torn country through border crossings in Hatay and Kilis.

The assistance was distributed to families affected by the war in tent cities and various settlements, Isik added.

He said that the number of trucks sent to Syria by the IHH since 2011 has crossed 28,000.

In March 2011, popular protests erupted in Syria demanding a peaceful transfer of power, but the Assad regime chose to suppress them militarily, pushing the country into a devastating civil war.

Since then, according to the UN, Syria has witnessed unprecedented devastation and displacement. More than 6 million Syrians have fled the country, over 3 million of whom have been hosted by Türkiye, and 6.7 million are internally displaced.