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Russia, Syria invite US, Jordan, UN to visit Rukban camp

On March 26, Russia and Syria will hold a meeting to develop measures aimed at dismantling the Rukban camp

MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Russia and Syria have invited the United States, Jordan and the United Nations to make a joint visit to the Rukban refugee camp to assess the situation there, head of Russia’s National Defense Management Center Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev said at a Friday meeting of the Russian and Syrian coordination centers for the return of refugees.

According to him, on March 26, Russia and Syria will hold a meeting to develop measures aimed at dismantling the Rukban camp. US, Jordanian and UN representatives have been invited to participate. Mizintsev said that a working group consisting of Syrian, Russian, US, Jordanian and UN representatives could visit the Rukban camp in this connection.

The Russian general pointed out that if it was impossible to reach the camp through the US-controlled Al-Tanf zone, Moscow and Damascus would ask Jordan to provide a passage. "We are ready to do it for the sake of the long-suffering Rukban residents," he stressed.

Mizintsev noted that Syrian security forces "in cooperation with Russian military police units" would ensure security during the March 26 meeting and the planned trip through the Damascus-controlled areas. "We call on the US command to ensure security in the 55 kilometer-wide Al-Tanf zone," he added.

In addition, the Russian general suggested taking joint steps to ensure the working group’s security in the Al-Tanf zone, "using unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to the Russian Aerospace Force and the US Air Force."

Rukban camp

The Rukban refugee camp is located in the Al-Tanf security zone, where a US military base is stationed. Entrances to the zone are controlled by opposition militants. According to the World Health Organization, the camp currently hosts about 40,000 refugees, mostly women and children.

On March 5, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a cemetery with 300 fresh graves had been found near the camp. According to the ministry, the cemetery can be seen on satellite photos.