KUWAIT: This photo released by the Defense Ministry shows relief aid being loaded into a Kuwait Air Force plane before it took off to Lebanon yesterday.

KUWAIT/BEIRUT: Kuwait’s airborne relief supplies for Lebanon proceeded for the 11th day in a row yesterday, as two planes carrying 66 tons of medical and food aid left to Beirut. On Friday, a pair of Kuwait Air Force aircraft touched down at Beirut airport, carrying 100 tons of medical equipment and food supplies. Adviser at Kuwait Embassy Abdullah Al-Shahin affirmed in remarks that part of the supplies were handed over to the Lebanese Army and the remaining amount to the Kuwait Red Crescent Society.

With the arrival of the four planes, the number of the aircraft carrying relief supplies for the Lebanese reached 18, with a cargo estimated at more than 819 tons of supplies mainly destined for those affected by the recent huge blast. Kuwait had scrambled to relieve the Lebanese people, namely in Beirut, immediately after a huge bomb explosion rocked the capital, on August 4, leaving at least 170 people dead and around 6,000 wounded.

The explosion that happened at Beirut Port left heavy destruction in nearby districts and extensive damage in almost half of the city. Meanwhile, Dr Musaed Al-Enezi, the head of the KRCS mission in Lebanon, affirmed that the batch included medical equipment and supplies that would be delivered to damaged hospitals.

Meanwhile, KRCS announced donating 10 generators to support emergency centers and field blood banks to the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC). Enezi reiterated the importance of strengthening the LRC’s field efforts after the Beirut port explosion, to help it in rescue operations and treating the injured. The field team of KRCS was informed of the needs of the emergency centers and blood banks run by LRC, he pointed out. Enezi said that KRCS immediately took the initiative to provide supplies and immediate needs to Lebanon under the directives of His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, which confirms Kuwait’s keenness to help in difficult circumstances.

In the meantime, the Secretary General of the LRC George Kettaneh sincerely thanked KRCS for this donation, which supports the capabilities of health centers and blood bank centers that need to secure electricity at present. There has been cooperation between LRC and KRCS for many years, he said, explaining that they formed a vital partner and support for the LRC in its various humanitarian and relief efforts.

He underlined that the Lebanese people always remember the humanitarian stances of Kuwait, pointing to the KRCS’ great humanitarian role in many affected countries, especially Lebanon. Through its field team, which has been in Beirut since the beginning days of the Beirut explosion, KRCS is active in providing direct support to the affected hospitals with medical equipment and supplies, as well as distributing aid to impacted families. — KUNA