October 9, 2019
As a result of the ongoing Turkish military offensive in northeast Syria, people - especially those living near the border - are fleeing south across Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa Governorates leaving behind their houses and most of their belongings. According to reports from our team in northeast Syria, large displacements of civilians will occur with the deployment of Turkish ground troops into northeast Syria. There are approximately 454,751 people, including 90,635 IDPs, residing in areas within 5 km of the northeastern Syrian-Turkish border.
Mercy Hands has been providing assistance to the people in northeast Syria from neighboring Iraq since 2017. Mercy Hands has a large operation in north of Iraq, in Erbil, Duhok, and Ninewa, and our teams cross the Iraqi-Syrian border through two border points, Faysh Khabur in Duhok and Rabia in Ninewa.
With its limited resources, Mercy Hands has launched an across-the-border operation to deliver emergency food and nonfood items to IDPs and families affected by the ongoing Turkish offensive in northeast Syria. Aid items will be purchased from local markets in north of Iraq, stored and packaged in our warehouses in Ninewa, transported across the borders to northeast Syria, then distributed by our team to the people in need.
We call on the humanitarian community to join us and deliver emergency aid to the people affected by the Turkish offensive. Mercy Hands offers all available resources to facilitate the delivery of aid from Iraq to northeast Syria.
For further information contact:
Magdalena Penninger Regional Coordinator for North of Iraq Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid
Email: magdalena.penninger@mercyhands.org Phone: +964 7512567173
Erbil, Iraq
Michela G. Maccabruni Regional Coordinator in Europe
Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid Email: michela.maccabruni@mercyhands.org Phone: +39 3338824288
Geneva, Switzerland
About Mercy Hand for Humanitarian Aid:
Mercy Hands is an international Iraqi humanitarian NGO established in Baghdad in 2004. Mercy Hands works in conflict torn and disaster affected areas to save lives, sustain human rights and restore a healthy community. We serve people in need, regardless of their religion, gender, ethnicity or political affiliation.