Turkey to send 15,000 tons of aid to Somalia in Ramadan

By Mustafa Gungor

MERSIN, Turkey (AA) – Turkey is set to deliver 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Somalia during the holy month of Ramadan.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency in southern Mersin province, Kerem Kinik, the president of the Turkish Red Crescent aid organization, or Kizilay, said the humanitarian ship will depart from Mersin port within two days.

"This aid will be sent to all the regions in Somalia. There is 1,000 trucks-loaded humanitarian aid in this ship," Kinik said.

Somalia is one of several African states facing famine due to drought. The drought has hit 11 of Somalia’s 18 regions, including the worst-affected Bay region.

The aid includes flour, sugar, medicine and baby food, which Kinik said would benefit 3 million people for the whole Ramadan month.

Kizilay has sent 11 aid ships to Somalia so far.

In separate, two more aid ships are getting prepared to help Yemen, another country hit by famine.

"There is a cholera outbreak in Somalia, Yemen and South Sudan right now. After Yemen, we will try to reach to Cuba and northern regions in South Sudan. This is a big mobilization," Kinik said.

“We will reach around 9 million people," he added.