Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) General Director Mehmet Savaş Polat
Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) General Director Mehmet Savaş Polat said Thursday they had taken all measures for a possible migration movement in Syria's northwestern Idlib.
"As TDV teams, we have taken all measures in case of a possible migration movement in Idlib," Polat said in a statement.
Polat said teams were coordinating in Syria for preparations on measures to take before the potential migration movements reached the border.
He said 2,000 children were receiving education in Idlib with the foundation's support. All stationery expenses of the pupils are covered by TDV and 100 teachers are employed at these schools.
The TDV has opened four shops distributing free clothes in Idlib. It also hands out 70,000 loaves of bread a day to families in need, Polat said.
Polat also said that 15,000 hot meals and loaves of bread for 90,000 people are provided daily to the families living in camps in Syria's northwestern Azaz and al-Bab.
He said there were three outlets distibuting free clothes operating in these areas.
Polat added that Turkey's top religious authority Diyanet and TDV had restored 113 mosques in Syria's northwestern Afrin and al-Bab, which were damaged by terror groups' attacks.
The statement also said that since the start of Syrian civil war, TDV has provided aid worth 200 million Turkish liras ($32 million) and sent 1,850 aid trucks to the region.
A new mental health center for refugees opened in Turkey’s capital Ankara on Thursday.The center was opened by Relief International with funding from the European Union and will be run by the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM).It will primarily serve Syrian refugees who are experiencing mental health disorders.Speaking at the opening ceremony, EU Ambassador in Ankara Christian Berger noted that there are around 3.5 million refugees in Turkey, voicing gratitude for Turkey’s efforts on the issue.Berger said 20 percent of these people live through mental disorders like anxiety and depression, and the health center will strengthen resilience among Syrian refugees.He added that they are thankful and appreciate Turkey providing services to Syrian refugees.Also speaking at the ceremony, French Ambassador in Ankara Charles Fries said the center will provide an extraordinary example of solidarity among refugees living in Ankara.Around 800 people are expected to benefit from the center through February 2019 and will be served by the center’s mental health specialists, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors.The project contributes to building a more resilient refugee community in Turkey by improving their mental well-being, at the same time reducing the burden on the Turkish health care system.Relief International’s existing mental health center in Gaziantep -- in the southeast, near the Syrian border -- also funded by the European Union, serves patients with a wide range of disorders, including anxiety, psychosis, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.A third mental health center for refugees is also planned to be opened in Istanbul.
Mental health center for refugees opens in Ankara
A delegation led by Israeli Air Force (IAF) Commander Amikan Norkan will visit Moscow later today to discuss the downing earlier this week of a Russian military plane by Syrian air defenses, the Israeli army has said. According to an army statement, Norkan and members of his delegation will present an extensive report on the incident, including pre-mission data and the findings of an Israeli army inquiry. “The IAF commander will be joined by the head of the International Cooperation Unit, Brigadier-General Erez Maisel, along with officers of the Intelligence Directorate, the IAF and the Operations Directorate,” the statement read. Members of the delegation, it added, planned to present their Russian interlocutors with evidence of what the army described as “continuous Iranian attempts to transfer strategic weapons to the Hezbollah terror organization and establish an Iranian military presence in Syria”. Russia plane downing in Syria causes Russia-Israel riftIn the early hours of Tuesday, Israeli F-16s entered Syrian airspace with a view to striking Syrian military targets in the northwestern Latakia province.Israeli officials later claimed the intended target was an arms factory, weapons from which were meant to be transferred to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an ally of Syria’s Assad regime and a bitter enemy of Israel.When Syria’s Russian-built S-200 air-defense system responded to the airspace breach, a Russian Il-20 military plane was struck by a missile, destroying the aircraft and killing all 15 servicemen on board.The Russian Defense Ministry held Israel “solely responsible” for the incident, accusing it of committing “irresponsible actions” over Syrian territory.“By hiding behind the Russian plane, Israeli pilots put it in the line of fire,” read a ministry statement issued after the incident.
Israeli air force chief to visit Moscow amid Syria row
The details of the memorandum of stabilization of the situation in Syria’s Idlib signed between Turkey and Russia in the resort town of Sochi have emerged. The agreement is comprised of 10 articles, and notes that Idlib will be a demilitarized de-escalation zone in which Turkish and Russian armed forces will conduct patrols.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than three million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.The Syrian regime announced plans last month to launch a major military offensive in the area, long controlled by various armed opposition groups.Breakthrough agreementA bilateral meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin yielded the stabilization agreement, relieving millions of civilians who fled from the Assad regime’s brutal attacks and took refuge in Idlib.The agreement reached between Turkey and Russia was a breakthrough after a trilateral summit including Iran failed to deliver a ceasefire deal.Sochi deal gives hope to Idlib residentsThe announcement of a demilitarized zone in Idlib, Syria’s last opposition stronghold, has become a beacon of hope for residents.UK thanks Turkey for its 'longstanding role' in SyriaResidents were grappling with an atmosphere of crippling fear as talks of a looming offensive would lead to the "worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century,” according to the UN.Only Turkey considers needs of locals“We see the results of the agreement as a good sign. Our hopes of returning to areas we were displaced from have been revived,” said Bedir Kaysi, who fled to Turkey from Homs as a result of regime attacks.Abdusselam Hasan, the director of a hospital in Idlib, noted that Turkey was the only country which was taking into account the needs of the locals.“We trust Turkey”“The results of Sochi have been reflected positively on the field too. Locals have organized demonstrations of support in Binnish and Maarratmisrin,” says local Ahmet Zerzur, adding that both the Turkish and Free Syrian Army (FSA) flags would be unfurled at the rallies.“The FSA flag is a sign of the continuation of the people’s revolt, and the Turkish flag is a sign of trust. We trust Turkey. We feel comfortable when Turkey is present in the region,” Zerzur stated.Win-win for Turkey and RussiaAnton Mardasov, a non-resident expert at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), dubbed the agreement reached in Sochi as a victory for both Erdoğan and Russia.“This agreement is a victory for the stance of Erdoğan who did not let a military operation target Idlib. On the other hand, it is also a victory for Russia, which did not want to join a large scale military operation,” Mardasov said.Turkish-made drones to monitor implementation of Idlib agreementSochi deal proves Turkey-Russia allianceDenis Korkodinov, Russian military expert and political scientist, said that the Sochi deal ensured that radical groups would not threaten the Syria peace process.“By forming a demilitarized zone, Ankara and Moscow have shown their alliance, which is based on high level political values,” he said.UN aid coordinator hails Idlib stabilization deal“The Sochi agreement is extremely important and definitely a step in the right direction,” Panos Moumtzis, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis said, adding that it is “very important” to avoid military escalation, protect civilians, respect freedoms, and make sure humanitarian work and access is allowed in Syria.Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others were displaced, according to UN officials.Syrians ‘still need our help’: UN aid coordinatorDemilitarization agreement heartens civilians in Idlib
Details of Turkish-Russian Idlib deal revealed