Turkey's "Kindness Train" carrying nearly 750 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan is expected to reach its final destination on Feb. 9, Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) head Kerem Kınık said Saturday and called for a global mobilization campaign for Afghanistan amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country.
Visiting Afghanistan's capital Kabul, Kınık said: "As the Turkish Red Crescent and Turkey, we will always continue to extend our helping hand to meet the needs of both the needy living in Afghanistan and the people who migrated from Afghanistan for economic reasons and are trying to establish a life elsewhere."
The agency head also warned that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover and the possible migration wave it causes will affect all countries from Iran to Europe, adding: "We have to start a global mobilization."
Aid agencies describe Afghanistan's plight as one of the world's most rapidly growing humanitarian crises. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), half the population now faces acute hunger, over 9 million people have been displaced and millions of children are out of school.
Recently, the U.N. and its partners launched a $4.4 billion (TL 59 billion) funding appeal to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan in 2022.
U.N. chief Antonio Guterres has warned that millions of Afghans are on the verge of death, urging the international community to release Afghanistan's frozen assets and jump-start its banking system.
Turkish aid train to arrive on Feb. 9
Kınık also described the Turkish humanitarian aid train "Kindness Train" as Turkey's helping hand for Afghanistan and said:: "A short time ago, we boarded the 'Kindness Train' in Turkey, which was organized by the instructions of our president (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) and with the help of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The train is expected to arrive in Herat next week."
The NGO will assess other similar organizations working in the region, identify humanitarian needs and assist the people with the help of Turkey's ambassador to Afghanistan.
The aid campaign is being conducted through the contributions of civil society and nongovernmental organizations under the coordination of Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), following President Erdoğan's instructions to send a "train of kindness" to Afghanistan carrying humanitarian aid.
Aid workers will deliver hundreds of tons of food, clothing, blankets and hygiene materials brought to the country aboard the "Kindness Train," consisting of 46 wagons, to those in need in Afghanistan.
The materials will be transported on the TCDD wagons through Iran and then transferred to Turkmen wagons that will continue to Torghundi, Afghanistan's border station with Turkmenistan. The duration of the journey is around two weeks.
The Turkish government has taken a pragmatic approach to the recent events in Afghanistan. Underlining that new realities have emerged in the country, Ankara said it would move forward accordingly while keeping communication with all relevant leaders open.
NATO member Turkey maintained its embassy in Afghanistan after Western countries withdrew following the Taliban takeover and has urged those countries to step up engagement. At the same time, it said it will only work fully with the Taliban if they form a more inclusive administration.
Also, Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum-seekers attempting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution. Concerns have risen over a possible spike in migrants from Afghanistan, due to the United States pullout from the country and the following surge of Taliban attacks.
Turkey has made it clear that it will not bear the burden of the migration crises experienced as a result of the decisions of third countries. Faced with a potential migrant wave due to the instability in Afghanistan, Turkey has maximized measures on its eastern border. Turkey is continuing to bolster the security on its border with Iran to prevent any new influx of migrants.