The Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) in France’s Strasbourg and affiliated associations have gathered donations for building 539 houses for Syrians.

According to a statement by the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV), which quoted Ramazan Dolu, the Strasbourg religious affairs attache, benefactors in France have acted for families in Syria that are victims of the decadelong civil war in the country.

"We will build 539 houses in Syria in the name of benefactors here. We wanted to help at least in the slightest manner our brothers and sisters who struggle for their lives in tent camps, who do not even have a house to live under and who are feeling the war’s most painful side," he stated.

Ihsan Açık, second head of the TDV board of trustees, similarly stated that the foundation aims to aid the victims of the war.

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

Today, an estimated 12.4 million Syrians are food insecure, amounting to nearly 60% of the population who do not know what they will eat tomorrow, according to the World Food Programme. This represents an increase of 4.5 million people in only one year.

Saying that the TDV is transferring aid ranging from hygiene packages, food, clothing, education and housing to Syria, Açık added: "One of the issues we attach most importance to is our Goodness Houses Project. Families that had to leave behind all their life experiences, have had to migrate with just a few belongings that they were able to take with them. Many families try to stick to life under difficult situations in tents."

Although Turkish officials and charities continue their efforts to provide humanitarian aid, there are still thousands more who need urgent assistance from the international community.

For years, the Bashar Assad regime has ignored the needs and safety of the Syrian people, only eyeing further gains of territory and crushing the opposition. With this aim, the regime has for years bombed vital facilities like schools, hospitals and residential areas, causing the displacement of almost half of the country’s population while adopting policies to make their lives more difficult.

Açık further stated that so far 3,804 houses were already built and given to families in Syria while efforts for another 3,550 continue.