Russia delivers humanitarian aid to trapped Syrians
April 24, 2016, 5:42 am

Russian soldiers help unpack a shipment of relief aid in the town of Rhaibeh in the countryside of Damascus, capital of Syria on April 23, 2016 [Xinhua]

The cargo planes airdropped the aid to the trapped people of the Harabish district, which has long been besieged by the IS terror group, a Russian military source was quoted by Chinese agency Xinhua.

Russian military have also delivered about 5 tons of humanitarian aid to three centers for refugees in Syria’s Hama, spokesman of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria Colonel Sergei Ivanov

The UN has repeatedly urged the warring parties in Syria to ease the siege imposed on residential areas to allow aid in to alleviate some of the sufferings of the Syrian people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that he hoped the current cease-fire in Syria would lead to a political settlement of the lingering crisis in the war-torn country.

“We are expecting the cessation of hostilities from both sides to lead to pacification. It is necessary to adopt a constitution, hold early elections and resolve the crisis by these means,” Putin said.

The UN no longer keeps track of the death toll in Syria as many conflict areas remain inaccessible.

German chancellor Angela Merkel flew into southern Turkey late on Saturday to inaugurate the EU’s new aid programme for Syrians in the country.

Germany is open to the Turkish idea of keeping refugees on the Syrian side of the border by creating safe zones in the war-torn country, although the UN and other global aid agencies have warned against such a plan.

At a news conference in the Turkish city of Gaziantep on Saturday, Merkel called for “zones where the ceasefire is particularly enforced and where a significant level of security can be guaranteed.”

TBP and Agencies