Turkey provides humanitarian aid to Iraq

Ankara, June 17: Turkey has sent humanitarian aid to the violence-hit cities in Iraq, particularly the Turkish majority areas, a media report said Tuesday.

"It is very important for our Turkish brothers to get humanitarian needs," Xinhua quoted Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru as saying Monday.

Meanwhile, The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) of Turkey has also started sending humanitarian aid, including tents and food supplies.

Militant groups Monday declared complete control of the Turkish majority city of Tal Afar in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh.

The Sunni-majority province of Nineveh and its capital Mosul has long been a stronghold for insurgent groups, including Al Qaeda militants, since the US led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Large parts of the province are captured by militant groups after bloody clashes with Iraqi security forces.

IANS