Russian servicemen accompany 200 Syrian refugees home
ALEPPO (Syria). Oct 26 (Interfax-AVN) - Servicemen of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria have organized the return of another group of refugees from the biggest refugee camp in the Aleppo province, the center's Andrei Kirikovich told reporters.
"The center for reconciliation of opposing sides has ensured the relocation of refugees from the Jibrin camp to the town of Maskana in cooperation with the Aleppo administration. Security has been provided en route," Kirikovich said.
The return of refugees is a phased process, which has made it possible to rapidly resettle residents of practically every major refugee camp in Syria, Kirikovich said. No more than 6,000 people are left in the Jibrin camp, he said.
Once an area is liberated from terrorists, Syrian sappers clear it of mines with the assistance of Russian specialists from the International Mine Action Center. Then, servicemen of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria locate families that had to flee their homes and arrange for the restoration of residential buildings and basic infrastructure with the help of Syrian authorities. The servicemen then ensure the safe return of refugees. They also send humanitarian convoys to recently populated towns and villages of Syria, which are still under reconstruction, and monitor the ceasefire.
As many as 660,000 internally displaced persons and those who sought refuge abroad returned home in 2017. The total number of Syrian returnees since 2015 is 1.126 million. Russian servicemen not only deliver food and medicine to the liberated areas, but also help rebuild their infrastructure. Russia is the only country helping liberated Syrian populated localities with humanitarian demining and medical assistance.
The center intends to broaden its humanitarian activity in Syria in the near future. Russia has sent over 4,000 tonnes of construction materials and machinery to Syria's war-torn regions.