KRCS steps up relief efforts in Somalia

The Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) has intensified its relief efforts to help families of the drought-stricken victims of the Somalian famine, said a senior KRCS official yesterday, adding that the society is doing so based on its humanitarian duty in such circumstances. The KRCS' field team is currently providing the basic needs for thousands of affected people who have lost everything and been driven from their homeland. KRCS Chairman Barjas Humoud Al-Barjas told KUNA that the field team has already overseen the distribution of a large among of food, including 2,000 tons of flour, 9,000 cartons of food and 1,000 cartons of oil, in addition to 300 tons of rice and powdered baby milk. He added that the team was continuing to provide Iftar for about 8,000 people a day in a number of camps near the capital, Mogadishu, in coordination with the Relief Committee and the Somali Red Crescent, along with Somali authorities. The KRCS chief pointed out that the team had earlier carried out a number of inspection tours during which the members reviewed the situation at first hand and were informed by local officials about the prevailing conditions and needs. Al-Barjas stressed that the KRCS is not only providing humanitarian aid to famine victims, but also to those affected by homelessness.