The Turkish Red Crescent head Alper Küçük
The Turkish Red Crescent has been establishing regional logistics centers in neighboring countries to provide more rapid aid to disaster-hit areas, a top organization head said.
Operating in a wide area ranging from Central Asia to the Caucasus, the relief organization recently has been establishing stores to support the logistics in times of emergency, Deputy Director General Alper Küçük told Anadolu Agency.
Küçük said that the first store was set up in Bulgaria in cooperation with the Bulgarian Red Cross.
A Turkish police officer watched in tears a migrant child struggle for life after her boat capsized in the Aegean Sea off Turkey’s Mugla coast.At least two children died after a boat carrying 34 irregular migrants sank early Monday off Bodrum district, the Turkish Coast Guard said.Ela, carrying 34 irregular migrants, sank at 5:47 a.m. local time [0247GMT].Policeman Harun Kılıçoğlu arrived at the scene following a distress call and grasped the 7-year-old girl. He rushed to the ambulance parked 100 meters away.Video: Turkish cop cries for migrant child fighting for lifeParamedics gave her a cardiac massage as a visibly emotional Kilicoglu watched.She was pronounced dead at the hospital.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, the policeman said: "Hope filled my heart when the medics said the child could be saved. I was very happy when I heard that. I wish she had lived. I wish I could hold her hand tomorrow.“I felt the same way a father would feel when he carries a child. I have two children myself. First, I thought about my own children. Then I thought about the children around me. I only thought about saving her life, I didn’t think of anything else."His wife and colleague Gonul Kilicoglu said: “I'm proud of my husband...We all have children. No matter what their religion, language and race is, it is our duty to help them when needed.”Turkey has been the main route for irregular migrants trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.
Turkish cop cries for migrant child fighting for life
Some material that will serve 2,000 victims in case of emergency were stocked in the store, Küçük added.
He also said similar facilities were established in Iraq and in Georgia.
“We are trying to expand [our efforts] further across the Balkans,” Küçük said, citing potential natural disasters affecting the region.
“So, it is quite important to deliver our supplies in the Balkan region to the scene very quickly,” he stressed.
The Turkish Red Crescent also plans to set up logistics stores in Bosnia-and-Herzegovina and Croatia next year, Küçük said.
The Turkish Red Crescent is taking concrete steps and launching new projects to expand its work in the Balkans, said Kerem Kinik, head of the non-profit organization.Kinik, who was visiting Croatia's capital Zagreb for the 140th anniversary of the Croatian Red Cross, shared the activities and future plans of the organization."We have launched a new movement in the Balkans. In order to improve our disaster management capacity, we first formed a team in Bulgaria. We also opened a permanent delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are working to expand our work in the region."Kinik said that they will continue to share their experiences with national associations in order to reduce the risk of disasters and improve their capacity in the Balkans."We have a lot of work in terms of storing tents and blankets in warehouses in these regions, providing first aid and search and rescue training."He said the world is suffering from 40 armed conflicts which is forcing people to migrate.Hundreds of migrants storm Spanish enclave in North Africa, one diesErdoğan says Turkey is on eve of rebirth"People leave their countries either voluntarily or by force due to poverty and political turmoil caused by these conflicts."However, he said, the EU member states did not exhibit any sensitivity over the issue."The most recent example is of the annulment of the registration of migrant ship Aquarius, which carried out search and rescue activities in the Mediterranean and the Middle Mediterranean."Currently, there is no humanitarian aid vessel carrying out search and rescue activities in the Central Mediterranean. Every year around 3-4,000 people are losing their lives in the waters of the Mediterranean. We expect Europe to review its security-based policies and support active humanitarian policies that could stop migration at the source."Kinik recalled that Turkey hosts around 4 million refugees."This figure is showing Turkey's humane foreign policy. We expect the EU to approach the issue with a similar view," he added.The Turkish Red Crescent is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey, with an international network to help other nations in need.Turkey will not allow cover-up in Khashoggi killing, sees 'dire' consequences: AKP officialTurkish-origin army officer awarded in NetherlandsTurkey starts language courses for orphans in Pakistan
Turkish Red Crescent to expand services in Balkans