WATCH: People of Kobani donate to help fellow Kurds in Afrin

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The people of Kobani in Syrian Kurdistan on Wednesday began donating aid to civilians affected by Turkey’s military offensive in the northwestern enclave of Afrin.

Kurdistan 24 visited one of three sites set up in Kobani where the Kurdish Red Crescent (KRC) is accepting all forms of donations, humanitarian and financial.

The tents will be up, and donations will be accepted for 10 days. The civilians of Kobani say they are actively prepared to help their fellow Kurds in Afrin and will do whatever is required of them.

“We want to defend our nation,” an elderly man, who donated at one of the tents, told Kurdistan 24. “Many people have died, many have been injured.”

The non-profit organization says its goal is to deliver immediate aid as well as raise global awareness.

“We accept all forms of donations, not just financial aid, but humanitarian aid as well. We accept medicine, blankets, clothing. Anything that our people in Afrin need we will collect,” a KRC member at the tent explained.

“These people have suffered immensely. They've lost their homes, their families,” she said, adding the organization hopes to gather as many donations and aid as possible “to make an impact.”

On Jan. 20, the Turkish military launched an offensive in Afrin on the grounds it is securing its border from People’s Protection Units (YPG) fighters which it alleges are tied to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Civilians have borne the brunt of Ankara’s military campaign, according to Kurdistan 24 correspondent Akram Salih who is covering developments in the besieged Kurdish region.

He says thousands of people, including babies and young children, are trapped as routes are blocked, and bombing continues.