Bilal Erdogan visits Turkmen villages in Akkar and delivers humanitarian aid

Bilal Erdogan led a Turkish delegation on the final day of his tour in Lebanon, meeting in the morning hours with the Mufti of Akkar, Muhammad Bakkar Zakaria, in the town of Halba, before moving on to the villages of Qawashra and Aydamun, where Lebanon's Turkmen live.

The delegation was received in Qawashra with chants, as residents carried Turkish flags and roses, and a reception was held at which fireworks were set off. Accompanying Erdogan were Turkey's ambassador in Beirut, Murat Lutem, the head of the Yunus Emre Institute, Professor Selim Argun, the coordinator of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Beirut, Saleh Burak Yurdakul, and his deputy Serap Nayir, along with the head of the Sadakataşı Association, Kemal Ozdal.

After meeting the head of the Qawashra municipality, Muhammad Abdullah, Erdogan said he hopes that the future of Lebanon and its people will be brighter, and that conditions in the country will improve with the new government. He added that they feel very close to the people here, and that they want to reciprocate this love: "They love our country and they love our president. We love them too."

The Sadakataşı Association handed over four trucks loaded with humanitarian aid to the Qawashra municipality, containing foodstuffs, hygiene supplies, clothing and heating materials. Erdogan said that "this aid comes from Turkey to the brothers in Qawashra to support them a little in their daily lives."

On the education file, he noted that a large number of students are applying for "Turkiye Burslari" scholarships to study in Turkey, and that his country helps children in Lebanon's Turkmen areas to continue learning Turkish and not forget their mother tongue, adding that a Maarif Foundation institution may reach Tripoli in the future.

In Aydamun, Erdogan conveyed the greetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the residents, and said that Turkey is working to be a guarantor of peace and stability in its surroundings, and that developments in Syria give hope for a prosperous and strong Syria, and a similar hope for a better tomorrow for Lebanon. He announced that Qlayaat airport in northern Lebanon will open soon, and that air connectivity will be followed by land links and railways, calling on Turks to visit the Turkmen towns in Lebanon.

Turkmen resident Ni'ma Abbas said that "Lebanon is our blood and Turkey is our blood, and we are very proud of this visit," while one resident of Qawashra said his "heart is bursting" with joy.