Turkish aid agency helps family economy in Srebrenica

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Turkish Red Crescent volunteers harvested potatoes planted in the fields to contribute to the economy of families in Bosnia Herzegovina.

The volunteers including Turkey's Ambassador to Sarajevo Haldun Koc's wife Pinar Koc helped harvesting of the fields in Srebrenica where over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed during the genocide in 1995.

Pinar Koc said that the projects for the development of Srebrenica are very important and the seeds were donated by the Turkish Red Crescent last April.

She said that 50 tons of vegetables were harvested at the farm of the Emmaus International Solidarity Forum with the significant support of the Turkish Red Crescent.

Emmaus representative Jasna Mesic said that they have implemented very important projects with the Turkish Red Crescent.

"Today we have come here to collect potatoes voluntarily. The potatoes collected from the fields will be distributed to children's dormitories, soup houses and asylum centers," said Mesic.

The delegation led by Pinar Koc also visited the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial where the victims of the genocide are laid to rest.

More than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed after Bosnian Serb forces attacked the UN "safe area" of Srebrenica in July 1995, despite the presence of Dutch troops tasked with acting as international peacekeepers.