Turkish charity sends aid to Syria on Human Rights Day

By Berk Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish charity Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) on Thursday sent 350 truckloads of humanitarian aid for the needy in war-torn Syria.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Huseyin Oruc, head of the IHH board of trustees, called for public attention toward the problems of the Syrian people.

The supplies include essentials such as flour, foodstuffs and stoves, he said, adding that a total of 1,000 truckloads of aid will be sent by the year's end.

Contributions for Syrians are not only made by Turks but also by people from all around the world, Oruc said.

Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. Hundreds of thousands of people have since been killed, while millions displaced.

Turkey hosts more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on Dec. 10 — the day the UN General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which entitles inalienable rights to every human being — regardless of race, color, religion, sex or language.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk