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Conflict in Syria

Russia delivers over two tonnes of humanitarian aid to Syria’s Daraa

The Daraa region is among Syrian localities that are facing the most desperate humanitarian crisis

KHMEIMIM /Syria/, November 18. /TASS/. Russian officers have delivered more than 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to residents of the populated locality of Al-Shakrahiyah in the Syrian region of Daraa, Chief of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria General Sergei Kuralenko said at a daily briefing on Saturday.

The Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria and National Reconciliation Committee of the Southern de-escalation zone have listed localities that are facing the most desperate humanitarian crisis in the Daraa region. Al-Shakrahiyah was listed among them.

"The Reconciliation Centre has delivered 2,150 kilograms of humanitarian assistance (rice, canned meat, sugar) to the settlement. Russian military medics provided medical assistance to 101 citizens, including 22 children. Units of the Russian Military Police provided security to citizens and Russian officers in course of the humanitarian action," Kuralenko said.

At least 64 refugees returned to their homes over the past 24 hours. Among them are 23 civilians in the Aleppo region and 41 in the Homs region, according to the center.

The ceasefire largely holds, the center says. However, the mission monitoring de-escalation zones in Eastern Ghouta recorded violations in the areas controlled by Ahrar al-Sham group and the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia). Kuralenko assured that measures are taken to de-escalate the conflict.

De-escalation zones in Syria

At the Astana meeting on Syria in May, the Syrian ceasefire guarantor nations (Russia, Iran and Turkey) signed a memorandum on setting up de-escalation zones in the war-torn country.

The three de-escalation zones are in Syria’s southwest, in Eastern Ghouta (Damascus suburbs) and near Homs. The fourth zone covers the Idlib Province and parts of the neighboring Aleppo, Latakia and Hama. Starting from May 6, military activities and aircraft flights in the de-escalation zones were banned.

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