ANKARA
Turkish authorities said Wednesday they are planning to send humanitarian aid to Yemeni people in need.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it has already distributed “humanitarian aid, mainly food, to Yemeni refugees in Djibouti during the past week.” In a statement, the ministry said an additional “four tons of medicines were shipped yesterday (Tuesday) with a Turkish Airlines plane to Djibouti.”
The statement added that Turkey is planning to send humanitarian aid from Djibouti to Yemen by sea in the coming days, despite “the conflict in the country.” The ministry also said that Turkey desires that legitimate state authority be established as soon as possible in Yemen.
Fractious Yemen has remained in turmoil since last September, when the Houthis overran the capital Sanaa, from which they have sought to extend their influence to other parts of the country.
On March 25, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies began an extensive military campaign targeting Houthi positions across Yemen.
Riyadh says its anti-Houthi campaign comes in response to appeals by embattled Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi – currently in Riyadh – for military intervention against the Shia group.
The Houthis, however, denounce the offensive as unwarranted “Saudi-American aggression” against Yemen.
