MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia has helped to deliver 30 tonnes (metric tons) of humanitarian aid to the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor (al-Zour), besieged by Islamic State (Daesh) militants, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry informs.
"The cargo delivery was carried out from the Hmeimim airfield using the Il-76 aircraft of the Syrian Air Force, accompanied by Russian Su-30 and Su-35 fighters," the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
About 2,000 resident of Deir ez-Zor are in need of food, medicine, fuel and other aid.
In late February, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Hussein said that over 450,000 people remained trapped in besieged towns throughout Syria where humanitarian agencies could not provide them with aid.
A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It was supported by Damascus, as well as by dozens of opposition groups on the ground. ISIL, also known as Daesh, and Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front), both outlawed in Russia, were not part of the deal.
The ceasefire has been generally holding, which improved the humanitarian situation in the country and increased access for aid convoys.
