HOMS /Syria/, August 9. /TASS/. Officers from the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria delivered humanitarian aid to the city of Al-Rastan located in the northern part of the Homs Governorate, controlled by the armed units of the Syrian opposition, where one of the de-escalation zones had been established, a TASS correspondent reports.
"Today, the Center for Reconciliation for the first time delivered humanitarian aid, containing flour, sugar and canned food, to the Homs de-escalation zone," Fyodor Ochinsky, a Center Spokesman, told reporters. "Humanitarian aid was delivered to the Homs Governorate before, but not so long ago military activities were going on here, though now ceasefire agreements have been made," he added.
According to the spokesman, the humanitarian aid was set to be distributed among the residents of the de-escalation zone, including militants and their family members, provided they abandon hostilities and unblock the road connecting Homs and Hama, which is very important for civilians. According to the Russian military police, around ten big armed groups are active in the region, as well as about ten smaller ones. Apart from the war against Syrian government forces, they also battle with each other.
The aid was distributed right at the check point, as according to the de-escalation zone rules, residents of the besieged territories have been provided with the right to freely leave the militant-controlled areas to receive food from the Russian military.
On July 31, representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry and moderate Syrian opposition held talks in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, reaching an agreement on the third de-escalation zone north of the city of Homs. The zone includes 84 settlements with a population of more than 147,000.