Turkey’s volunteer doctors examine Syrian war victims

By Abdullah Dogan

KONYA, Turkey (AA) - A group of Turkish volunteer doctors, associated with an Istanbul-based non-governmental organization, have been treating Syrian war victims in regions cleared of terrorists.

The volunteers from Alliance of International Doctors (AID) examined patients in Syrian regions of Idlib and Afrin, which was liberated by Turkish troops from YPG/PKK terrorists.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian branch.

Necati Ozkan, the NGO's local chair in central Turkish province of Konya, told Anadolu Agency on Thursday that they have been serving people of Syria for many areas.

In addition to doctors, dentists and pharmacists are also helping victims in the war-torn country.

A total of 50 volunteer doctors and 150 sanitarians repeatedly visit the Syrian regions to treat patients.

"Last week our seven doctors went to Afrin. Our volunteer friends -- including family doctors, eye doctors and infectious diseases physicians -- treated 600 patients in two days in Idlib and Afrin, where Turkish army had provided peace and (volunteers) supplied medicine," Ozkan said.

He said they are planning to send three to four doctors to these areas every month, adding there aim is to treat an average of 500 patients every month in average.

Noting that medical equipment worth nearly $78,000 were provided in the Syrian provinces, Ozkan said they built three hospitals -- two polyclinics and a medical center to follow maternal and infant health -- in Idlib.

The conflict in Syria began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.