Turkish charities, sports fans distribute aid in Yemen

A Turkish aid group has distributed aid packages to thousands of families in war-torn Yemen, the charity said on Wednesday.

According to a statement, Istanbul-based Sadakatasi Association handed out food and personal care packages with the contributions of Fetihder Association based in the northwestern Bursa province, as well as fans of the Bursaspor football team.

The statement said packages of flour, sugar, rice, milk powder, canned bread, and personal care items were given to needy families in Aden, Ma'rib, Sana'a, and Al Hudaydah.

The aid group continues to distribute aid with the aim to help the victims of civil war, epidemic diseases and famine, it said.

"There is a humanitarian tragedy in Yemen, a reminder of [our] ancestry. We distribute the aid in order to be by the side of our brothers and sisters in these difficult times, and ease their sufferings," said Yilmaz Bulat, head of Fetihder, as quoted in the statement.

We will continue to transport food, water and personal care items to Yemen in the coming days, Bulat added.

Yemen has been dogged by conflict since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sana’a, forcing the government to take up temporary residence in the coastal city of Aden.

In 2015, Saudi Arabia and several of its Arab allies launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.

While the Saudi-led coalition has succeeded in wresting some territory back from the Houthis, the Shia rebel group remains firmly ensconced in Sanaa and in several other parts of the country.