Turkey distributes food aid to Yemeni families

The Turkish Red Crescent on Friday distributed 3,000 food parcels to poor families in Yemen's western Al-Mahra province.

The move follows an earlier Turkish initiative in which 4,500 parcels were delivered to families affected by Hurricane Laban, which pounded several parts of Yemen last October.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Mohamed Sinjar, a Turkish Red Crescent official, said fresh food parcels had been distributed Friday in coordination with local authorities in Al-Mahra.

"Over the last two days, parcels have been distributed in Al-Mahra's Hof and Mesila districts," Sinjar said, stressing his country's commitment to helping Yemenis affected by recent conflict and natural disasters.

Hurricane Laban left dozens of Yemenis dead last October and displaced an estimated 3,000 families.

Embattled with famine amid an ongoing conflict, Yemen depends on humanitarian aid from abroad. As part of a nationwide aid campaign, Turkish charities collected more than TL 20 million ($3.77 million) in donations for Yemen. The Turkish Red Crescent, the state-run Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Presidency of Religious Affairs (DİB) spearheaded the campaign "Give Hope to Yemen."

Turkey has already donated humanitarian aid worth $11.7 million to Yemen between 2015 and 2018 and transferred $1 million in cash to UNICEF for use in humanitarian aid in the war-torn country.