"We are accepting all those in need of temporary shelter. We are hosting about one million people," Salem told reporters. The governor said refugees were accepted by health institutions and their children could attend schools.
The Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Refugee Reception, Distribution and Settlement said Saturday that over 232,000 refugees have returned to Syria from abroad since the start of the Russian operation in the war-torn country.
The Syrian civil war has been raging for over seven years, with government forces fighting numerous terror groups and opposition factions. Russia, alongside Iran and Turkey, is a guarantor of the ceasefire regime in Syria.
Moscow is assisting Damascus both through supporting the struggle against terrorist groups and providing humanitarian aid to the residents of the crisis-torn country.