HAMA (Sputnik) — Russia's Defense Ministry's center for Syrian reconciliation has delivered four tons of food products and 500 kilograms (1100 pounds) of medicine for residents of Syria's city of Ar Rastan, which is located in the area under the Syrian armed opposition's control, in de-escalation zone in Homs province, a Sputnik correspondent reported Monday.
A convoy of Russian trucks entered Ar Rastan from north, taking the road connecting provincial capitals of Hama and Homs provinces. The Russian servicemen delivered flour, sugar, food packages and medicine to local residents.
"We are distributing humanitarian aid to the residents of Ar Rastan settlement… We are distributing food packages, bags with flour and sugar, all essentials. [Humanitarian aid] is much needed by local residents… We have delivered a total of four tons of food products, 500 kilograms of of medicine. We will set up a medical station there to provide medical treatment to all those who need it, and will hand medicine to the Syrian side," the representative of the center for Syrian reconciliation, Alexander Sazonov said.
The representative of center's medical department, Vladimir Korzovatyh told Sputnik that the Russian side was also assisting the local residents in restoring medical facilities in the city. He added a hospital would be opened soon in Ar Rastan.
In May, Iran, Russia and Turkey, the three guarantor states of the Syrian ceasefire regime, signed at the crisis settlement talks in Astana a memorandum on the establishment of de-escalation zones. The document stipulates creation of four safe zones.
As of today, the guarantor states have managed to reach agreements with opposition groups on creating three safe zones — in the Daraa, Quneitra and As-Suwayda provinces in southwestern Syria. The consultations on the fourth zone in the Idlib province are currently underway.
