Civilians in Ukraine get humanitarian aid from Red Cross

KIEV, April 19 (Xinhua) -- People affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine received humanitarian aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), authorities said Thursday.

An ICRC convoy of seven trucks delivered 123 tons of relief supplies to residents of Donetsk region, Ukraine State Border Guard Service said in a statement on its website.

The aid includes hygiene kits, stationery and aluminum sulfate -- a chemical compound for purifying water, the statement said.

According to the United Nations, the conflict between government troops and pro-independence rebels in Donbas, which started in April 2014, left some 4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

Last year, more than 1.1 million people in the conflict-hit region benefited from the ICRC donations of water treatment chemicals and essential household items. Enditem