By Abdullah Al-Mershed

KUWAIT, Sept 8 (KUNA) -- Kuwait is allocating USD 1.5 million worth of urgent aid for the stricken Muslim Rohingya community in Myanmar, says the Minister of Awqaf.

Al-Jabri, also Minister of Islamic Affairs and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, said in a statement to KUNA that the Kuwaiti assistance is intended to relieve the Muslims in Myanmar and help them bear burden of the extraordinary circumstances they are going through.

Al-Awqaf General Secretariat is earmarking USD one million and Al-Zakat House is contributing with USD half a million to fund humanitarian convoys to the Rohingya.

These convoys, with approval of the Foreign Ministry, will be dispatched to the Muslims in Myanmar -- loaded with food, clothes and tents.

He called on citizens and residents to offer donations for their "Muslim brothers in Myanmar, as it has been the custom of the people of Kuwait to relieve people in need." Some 270,000 Muslim Rohingyas have fled violence in Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh. (end) amn.rk