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Russia, Syria start large-scale humanitarian operation for Aleppo

Xinhua, July 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russia and the Syrian government started a large-scale humanitarian operation to provide assistance to the population of Syria's northern city of Aleppo, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Thursday.

Aleppo, strategically located near Syria's border with Turkey, is Syria's largest city and once an economic hub, and it is also a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels.

"The Russian center for reconciliation of warring parties together with the Syrian government will open three humanitarian corridors to provide assistance to people who were taken hostage by terrorists," Shoigu told a ministry meeting.

Mobile centers will be opened near these corridors to provide food and medical assistance, Shoigu said, adding that food, medicines and other essentials will be airdropped to the population unable to leave the city.

The fourth corridor will be opened in the north of Aleppo for the safe passage of armed militants who want to lay down their arms, Shoigu said.

The operation is needed to confront the humanitarian situation in Aleppo and its suburbs, which deteriorated as terrorist groups including the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Nusra Front had intensified attacks on settlements and positions of government forces, he said.

Over the last two weeks, eight terrorist attacks were carried out at positions of Syrian government forces with participation of 21 suicide bombers who used three infantry fighting vehicles and 12 car bombs, which killed over 500 people and injured around 2,000 more, Shoigu noted.

United Nations spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci said on July 12 that an upsurge in violence in and around Aleppo has blocked the only road providing access to some 300,000 civilians living in eastern parts of the war-torn city.

Shoigu added that Russian experts were currently in Geneva, Switzerland to work with their counterparts from the United States and other countries on joint measures to settle the conflict in Aleppo.

The minister also invited other organizations working in Syria to join the large-scale humanitarian relief operation.

In a bid to quell the pro-longed crisis, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree earlier in the day, offering amnesty to rebels who lay down their arms and surrender to authorities within a three-month deadline starting Thursday. Endi