The largest charity organization in the Kurdistan Region on Thursday sent dozens of trucks loaded with clean water to the Iraqi province of Basra as the local government calls on oil companies to address ongoing water crisis.

There are increasing reports of water poisoning due to salinity and pollution in Basra as complaints of severe government neglect of the basic needs of people who live in the oil-rich province continue. Protests again broke out in the province that sparked demonstrations that lasted through July and spread over much of southern and central Iraq.

Meanwhile, Basra Provincial Council member Zahra Hamza said in a statement that over 14,000 people have suffered water poisoning as a result of contaminants.

In efforts to ameliorate the situation for some affected by the situation, the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) delivered 20 trucks of bottled water to the southern province, its second such delivery since Tuesday.

During a press conference held at the site where the distribution of water began, Hakim Mayah, representative of Basra province, and Mahdi Tamimi, head of the Human Rights Commission in Basra praised the BCF’s aid efforts.

Pointing to the historic relation of the Barzani family with Basra, the BCF said in a statement that the city warmly welcomed the late Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani when he returned from the Soviet Union some 59 years ago. To return the favor, it read, they decided to address one of the current needs of its people.

Editing by John J. Catherine