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Conflict in Syria

Refugees will start leaving Rukban camp in September — Russian reconciliation center

Chief of the Russian reconciliation center Alexey Bakin said that all accommodations are provided for refugees at places of temporary stay

© Konstantin Machulsky/TASS

HOMS, August 30. /TASS/. The operation for leading refugees from Syria's Rukban camp will start at the beginning of September, chief of the Russian Center for reconciliation of the conflicting sides Alexey Bakin said on Friday.

Read also

Steady rise in teen terror recruiting in Rukban camp — Russian-Syrian report

"With the help of the United Nations mission and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, census of refugees was compleChief ted at the Rukban camp at the end of August. Thousands of women, children, elderly people expressed their desire to leave the camp. At the beginning of September, we plan to start safely and voluntarily leading refugees to other places of temporary stay, including in Homs," Bakin said.

He said that all accommodations are provided for refugees at places of temporary stay, including food, medical assistance and psychological counselling. Many children, including those born in refugee camps, get vaccinated for the first time. Bakin said there are over 50 places of temporary stay in Syria, including 26 in Homs province.

Earlier in August, Russian presidential envoy for Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentyev said that Russia hopes that all refugees will leave the Rukban camp by the end of summer.

The Rukban camp is located on the border between Syria and Jordan. It was set up in 2014 after Jordan closed its borders for Syrians over security concerns. The adjacent areas are controlled by illegal armed groups, which exacerbated the humanitarian situation in the camp.

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Syrian conflict

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