The UAE Red Crescent Society (RCS) has overcome a variety of logistical obstacles to move 120 tons of relief supplies from the Pakistani city of Peshawar to Jalalabad in Afghanistan, the UAE’s official news agency (WAM) reported Monday.
According to the agency, the transportation of the relief goods was organized in collaboration with the Afghan Red Crescent Society and the Pakistan-based Commission for Afghan Refugees.
The aid, which included flour, edible oil, rice, sugar, baby milk and lentil, comes within the framework of a large-scale relief campaign the RCS has launched under the directives of UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The president earlier ordered that emergency relief assistance be sent to Afghan refugees, but the aid was blocked at Iranian and Pakistani borders for fear of a US strike on Kabul.
RCS president Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has instructed the RCS to engage in the worldwide relief campaign spearheaded by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Federation.
Sheikh Hamdan, who is also minister of State for foreign affairs, instructed the RSC to prepare as quickly as possible the first consignment of relief supplies, which includes foodstuffs, medicines, water, tents and blankets.
"Millions of refugees from Afghanistan have moved to bordering areas of neighboring countries and are facing difficult living conditions as many more are expected to arrive in the next few days and weeks," Sheikh Hamdan said.
"UN relief agencies and other bodies have warned of the danger of starvation in much of Afghanistan, while the government of Pakistan is already facing an enormous burden in trying to cope with the refugee problem," he added.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the UAE RCS headed by Mohammed Al Hammadi, the director of the society's revenue development section, visited a refugee camp in the Iranian town of Torit Jam, on the border with Afghanistan, which houses a large number of Afghan refugees.
The delegation distributed a large quantity of food items, part of the 200 tons of material aid flown to Iran by four UAE aircraft under the directives of Sheikh Zayed – Albawaba.com
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