JINHA

RIHA–The Turkish government has held at customs three million euros worth of medical equipment collected by Austria's Hawar Association, destined for a planned new hospital in Kobanê.

Since Daesh gangs decimated Kobanê, solidarity has come from around the world for the city's reconstruction. At the Mürşitpınar Border Gate, the only entry point for the city not in Daesh hands, the Turkish government has held up aid supplies needed in the reconstruction.

The Turkish government initially permitted one of the two big rigs of medical equipment to enter the country at all. Now, it has denied permission to the one remaining big rig to leave the country, holding the contents of the big rig in customs at the border gate.

Bedran Bernas, a member of the Hawar Association, said that getting aid into the hands of the people of Kobanê was infinitely more difficult than procuring the medical supplies themselves.

"The only reason for this delay is to block aid to Kobanê and its people," said Bedran. "Kobanê is in a state of total ruin. Even if the Daesh terrorists have been driven out, people have no place to stay there. We have a project to build a hospital in Kobanê. But now we don't know how we will do it or how we will get the supplies there, because the gates are all closed. Blocking aid to Kobanê is simply inhumane."

He said anyone who called themselves human in the world should aid Kobanê.

"All international powers need to put effort into getting a humanitarian corridor opened. Without the corridor, Kobanê can't be rebuilt. It's an absolute calamity that aid can't reach the people there."

The Hawer Association's health delegation will meet with canton officials to discuss the hospital project and the topic of supplies.

(ekip/zd/cm)