The Turkish-based Hope Caravan Foundation (Umut Kervanı Vakfı), known for its extensive humanitarian and aid projects across Afghanistan, has inaugurated the newly built Aqsa Mosque in Gazni province with prayers and a ceremony attended by foundation representatives.

The mosque, which bears architectural resemblance to Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock, stands in the Melikdin region near the Pakistani border. It is part of a larger 53-acre madrasa and educational complex initiated by the foundation to provide both religious and vocational training for local communities.

The 53-acre project includes classrooms, study halls, social spaces, and facilities designed to host hundreds of students. The Aksa Mosque serves as the central spiritual and communal space of the compound, where residents can gather for prayer and educational activities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Cafer Ökmen, Deputy Chairman of the Hope Caravan Foundation, highlighted the broader vision behind the initiative: “The area we are in is a 53-acre madrasa complex. It includes spaces for students to study, social areas, and many other facilities. Vocational training will also be provided here. We built the Al-Aqsa Mosque within this complex. We thank our donors for their charitable deeds.”

The Hope Caravan Foundation has been active in Afghanistan for years, focusing on education, humanitarian relief, and infrastructure support. The opening of the Aqsa Mosque is seen as a significant step toward strengthening both community life and access to education in a region heavily affected by years of war and poverty.

Local residents welcomed the new mosque and the larger complex, noting that it would provide much-needed opportunities for both spiritual enrichment and practical training for Afghan youth.

The foundation stated that the project reflects its mission to combine charitable work with sustainable community development, ensuring that religious, educational, and social needs are met in a single integrated complex. (ILKHA)