Turkey's Main Opposition Demands Aid For Syrian Kurds

Turkey's main opposition party has asked for an immediate humanitarian assistance for Kurdish refugees who found shelter in the southeastern part of the country, fleeing ISIL militants in Syria.



Following a visit to the Syrian town of Kobani as well as in the Suruc district in the province of Sanliurfa, Republican People's Party, or CHP, lawmakers released a report on Tuesday, calling for immediate humanitarian relief for the Kurdish refugees.



The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIL, launched an offensive in mid-September, capturing many villages surrounding the northern Syrian city of  Kobani, from Kurdish fighters, who are grouped into what are called People's Protection Units, or YPG.



The report stipulates that the refugees, who are living in unhealthy conditions, are lacking of cleaning materials as well as hot water.



The reports further states that the children should be  immediately taken in by healthcare centers.



While recognizing the substantial contributions from Turkey's emergency and disaster agency, or AFAD, the report adds that the number of officials needs to be increased in order to provide better guidance to the families. 



Turkish authorirties, NGOs and political parties have sent aid and personnel to the southeastern Turkish town of Suruc, which has seen an unprecedented influx of Syrian Kurdish refugees. 



ISIL militants, who otherwise control large parts of territory in Syria and Iraq, have been attacking the border town of Kobani from all directions, causing more than 160,000 people, mostly Syrian Kurds, to cross into Turkey in the past ten days.



Around 160,000 Kurdish refugees took shelter in Turkey, according to Ankara, since the country opened its border on September 19. 



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara