Afghan Red Crescent donates $50,000 to earthquake victims in Türkiye

The Taliban-controlled Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has donated 4.5 million Afghani (around $50,000) in cash assistance to the earthquake-hit people of Türkiye, it said on Monday.

On Sunday, the death toll from last Monday's quakes in Türkiye and Syria surpassed 30,000.

The assistance, which is "based on Islamic brotherhood, humanity, sympathy and friendship" according to the ARCS, was handed over by its acting president Mati-Ul-Haq Khalis to the Turkish ambassador in Kabul, Cihad Erginay.

Türkiye is "sympathetic and friendly" towards Afghanistan and had always helped Afghans in times of hardship, said Khalis, a Taliban appointee, as he handed over the contribution.

The ARCS follows the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Foundations, delivering humanitarian services to the most vulnerable people throughout Afghanistan.

Earlier, Kabul announced a relief package of 15 million Afghani to Türkiye and Syria and said Afghan emergency response and health teams stood ready to participate in rescue operations.

In addition, Afghanistan's largest and privately-owned airline Kam Air donated $50,000 to the Afghan embassy in Türkiye for the quake victims.

The contributions come despite acute needs in Afghanistan, which is experiencing the highest levels of hunger in the world according to the United Nations, while a third of the population needs humanitarian assistance.

On Wednesday, hundreds of desperate Afghans rushed to Kabul airport as rumours spread that Türkiye was airlifting out those who wanted to take part in earthquake relief work. They were turned back by the Taliban guards, however.