MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. The Russian army has started a humanitarian operation in Syria, Head of the General Staff Main Operations Department Sergey Rudskoy said on Friday.

According to him, some international non-governmental organizations are delivering humanitarian aid to Syria. "However, this aid is mostly being delivered to the areas controlled by militants where most of this aid gets into the hands of extremists and is used for bandit formations’ supplies," Rudskoy said.

"Also attempts were registered on many occasions to deliver weapons and ammunition and evacuate wounded militants under the guise of humanitarian convoys," the official said.

"That is why, a decision has been made for the Russian Armed Forces to launch a humanitarian operation in the Syrian Arab Republic," the general added.

A very difficult situation has emerged in most of Syrian populated settlements as a result of the armed conflict that erupted in Syria in 2011, the general said.

Syrian residents are experiencing a shortage of foodstuffs, medicines and first necessity items, he added.

According to the official, the Russian Defense Ministry has delivered the first humanitarian aid consignment to Syria's Deir ez-Zor.

"Presently, we sent the main assistance to the city of Deir ez-Zor, which had been for a long time seized by the Islamic State terrorists," the general said.

"Today, the transport Ilyushin Il-76 of the Syrian Air Force with use of the Russian parachute platform has delivered 22 tonnes of humanitarian cargo to the city of Deir ez-Zor to be distributed by the local authorities," he said.