GENERAL SITUATION
Syrian Arab Republic has been experiencing internal disturbances since 15 March 2011 in respect of events took place in Arab states due to public demands started in 2010 towards democracy, freedom and human rights. More than 100.000 Syrian nationals lost their lives and 2.156.146 left their places of origin inside the counTL in consequence of armed conflict. Some 7 million people are directly affected from the crisis in the counTL hosting a total population of 22 million.
“Syrian Crisis Humanitarian Relief Operation” has been launched by the Turkish Red Crescent on April 29, 2011 in close collaboration and coordination with Turkish Prime MinisTL, Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) and Turkish MinisTL of Foreign Affairs in order to meet sheltering and nutritional needs of 500 Syrians entered Turkey from Guvecci village of Yayladagi district of Hatay province in consequence of the ongoing armed conflict in Syria.
Within the context of Syrian Crisis Humanitarian Relief Operation, intending to support Syrian Arab Republic nationals who come to Turkey and are taken to accommodation centres, the Turkish Red Crescent took responsibility for provision and distribution of basic humanitarian relief needs such as sheltering (inner tent items such as tents, blankets, heaters, mattresses), food, hygiene items and clothes.
Psychosocial support, feeding and sheltering activities were kept on by 11 staff, through 58 sheltering tents pitched in Yayladagi due to limited number of Syrian nationals which did not exceed 500 until June 2011. Following this date, in consequence of rapid influx of Syrians into Turkey, the Red Crescent established tent camps in Yayladagi-1, Yayladagi-2, Altinozu, Boynubogun and Apaydin districts of Hatay province.
Until 10 March 2012, the Turkish Red Crescent performed its activities through General Coordination Office based in Hatay, as the operation extended to a wider area, Head of Delegations established in locations as follows: Hatay, Gaziantep, Kilis, Adana, Adiyaman, Kahramanmaras, Malatya, Mardin, Sanliurfa and Osmaniye, Altinozu (Hatay), Boynuyogun (Hatay), Apaydin (Hatay), Yayladagi-1 (Hatay), Yayladagi-2 (Hatay), Islahiye (Gaziantep), Karkamis (Gaziantep), Nizip (Gaziantep), Nizip-2 (Gaziantep), Oncupinar (Kilis), Elbeyli (Kilis), Ceylanpinar (Sanliurfa), Akcakale (Sanliurfa), Harran (Sanliurfa), Viransehir (Sanliurfa), Cevdetiye (Osmaniye), Duzici (Osmaniye), Adiyaman, Midyat-1 (Mardin), Nusaybin (Mardin), Malatya, Saricam (Adana) and Kahramanmaras.