Turkish, Kuwaiti charities reach out to Syrians

By Omer Koparan and Meryem Goktas

AZAZ, Syria (AA) - Turkish and Kuwaiti charities on Wednesday distributed humanitarian aid to Syrian children and women.

Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and Sama distributed school bags, stationery and toys to hundreds of children in the displaced persons camps in Syria's northwestern province of Azaz.

Ibrahim Abu Bakr, a representative of Sama, said their Kuwaiti foundation wanted to reach out to children at the start of the new school year.

"We will continue distributing school supplies, sewing machines and hairdressing equipment at several places," he said.

Volunteers also visited the Ruvayda Education Center built by the IHH. They distributed sewing machines and hairdressing supplies to graduates who had completed their vocational training courses.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced by the conflict.