Turkey on Saturday dispatched its sixth “Goodness Ship” from Mersin, carrying 2,600 tonnes of humanitarian aid bound for war-scarred Sudan.
The vessel slipped from the Turkish coast like a floating promise, continuing Ankara’s relief campaign for communities battered by months of conflict.
The shipment was prepared under AFAD’s coordination, with support from local authorities, civil society organisations, and the Qatar Fund for Development.
AFAD President Ali Hamza Pehlivan said Turkey has refused to remain idle as Sudan’s humanitarian emergency deepens and suffering spreads.
He noted that earlier missions delivered 5,500 tonnes of aid in 2024, alongside 30,000 tents sent aboard three ships last month.
The latest cargo includes food, medical supplies, personal care items, and shelter materials for families forced from their homes.
Pehlivan said Turkey began sending “goodwill ships” on 7 December as displacement surged and shelter needs reached critical levels.
He added that three consecutive voyages were launched to support what he called “our brothers and sisters” struggling for basic protection.
Pehlivan also said Turkey’s humanitarian assistance to Gaza continues, with a twentieth aid ship set to depart next week.
Nearly 105,000 tonnes of aid have been delivered to Gaza so far, he said, underscoring Turkey’s broader regional relief efforts.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, as fighting between General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces shattered civilian life.
The war has killed thousands, displaced millions, and fractured control of the country’s eighteen states into rival military zones.
The RSF now controls most of Darfur, while the Sudanese army dominates much of the remaining regions, including the capital Khartoum.
