Russian plane delivers 21 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Syrian people

BEIRUT, August 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry on Monday delivered further supplies of humanitarian aid to the people of Syria. An Il-76 plane brought to the port city of Latakia in north-western Syria about 21 tonnes of food and relief aid, including canned meat, fish and milk products, sugar and baby food as well as essential items such as blankets. Syria's state news agency SANA said Latakia Governor Ibrahim Khodr al-Salem "thanked Russia on behalf of the Syrian people for the assistance it provides them with, adding that it reflects the deep bilateral relations binding the two nations". The return flight will take Russian citizens permanently residing in Syria back to Moscow alongside nationals of other former Soviet countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States. About ninety people are waiting to leave the conflict zone. In late February, Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov said at a meeting with Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), that Russia would continue bringing humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria. Over the past years, Russia has delivered more than 500 tonnes of food, medicines and other essentials to the war-torn country. Over 1,000 nationals of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS and European countries have been evacuated from the conflict zone. Read more