Turkey sends 9 truckloads of aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Turkish Red Crescent has sent nine truckloads of aid to improve the living conditions of refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina with winter approaching, the group said on Friday.

After carrying out humanitarian relief efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina for many years, the Turkish Red Crescent initiated a new project to improve the housing conditions of refugees in the country, said a Red Crescent statement.

The aid includes 22 group tents measuring 105 square meters, 229 shelter tents of various sizes, 10,000 blankets, 1,000 kitchen sets, and two mobile kitchens.

The aid, sent from the Turkish cities of Istanbul and Kirklareli, will be delivered to refugees in need in the cities of Bihac and Mostar.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has found itself in the middle of a migrant crisis, with the government decrying a lack of funds.

After the Balkan route -- through Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, and Hungary or Croatia -- was closed to refugees in March 2016, many migrants chose Bosnia-Herzegovina as an alternate route.

According to the latest figures, nearly 20,000 asylum seekers have entered Bosnia and Herzegovina since the beginning of the year.