The Rojava Aid and Solidarity Association in Amed held a press conference calling for urgent aid for 154 thousand Rojava people sheltered in Turkey, including 20 thousand children and 6 thousand 500 infants, calling attention to the harsh conditions being faced by these people who are struggling to survive amidst shortages of basic needs.

The co-chair of the Association, Hüseyin Durmaz, said over 154 thousand people had to flee attacks of ISIS and took refuge in different cities in Turkey, calling on all the organisations to issue a call for an aid campaign, and to take part in a joint solidarity network.

Hüseyin Durmaz especially stressed that milk and relevant food delivery for the infants must regularly and continuously be carried out, recalling the fact that most of the refugees are elderly, women, disabled, children and infants.

Durmaz emphasised that the ongoing war in Kobanê has particularly affected women and children and added that they could ascertain so far that 154,201 people from Kobanê, who were forced to leave their houses by the savagery of ISIS, have taken refuge in different cities in Turkey. According to Durmaz’s statement, the distribution of those people who have taken flight to different cities is as follows:

Urfa: 35 thousand; Suruç: 40 thousand; Birecik: 15 thousand; Siverek: 4 thousand; Ceylanpınar: 600; Hilvan: 3 thousand; Bozova: 12 thousand; Amed: 14 thousand 500; Mardin: 4 thousand 800; Batman: 2 thousand 500; Şırnak: 4 thousand 500; Cizre: 4 thousand; Midyat: 2 thousand 800; Adıyaman: 6 thousand 700; Malatya: 3 thousand 400; Muş: 14; Bitlis: 174; Van: 213.

Durmaz said “A significant proportion of the people from Kobanê forced to flee by the war consists mainly of elderly, women, disabled, children and infants. There are a total of 20 thousand children and 6 thousand 500 infants between 0-3 years old who are living under harsh conditions. Especially for the infants, a regular and continuous delivery of milk and baby food is essential. The need for food continues in general in Suruç and other cities, where nourishment for the infants and mothers remains of utmost priority”.

Durmaz said dozens of NGOs from different countries have visited Suruç and the tent cities, showing international solidarity with the people of Kobanê, adding that the need for shelter and clothes has been met to a large extent, while the need for daily food remains a problem.

Calling on all the NGOs, political parties, associations, chambers, business circles and organisations who are able to issue a campaign call, to take part in a joint solidarity network where they are active,Durmaz further said: “Solidarity commissions formed locally continue the campaign and their work ceaselessly in the face of the hardship of winter. But we should not forget that the basic materials needed by refugees are increasing each day. We need solidarity more than ever and we call for mobilisation to step up solidarity”.