Russian Servicemen Deliver Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Refugees in Hama

Russian servicemen have delivered 6 metric tons of humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees in the town of Masyaf in Hama province, a spokesman for the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation at the Hmeymim airbase said on Thursday.

MASYAF (Sputnik) — The aid included individual food packages, canned fish and meat, flour, pasta and cereals.

"Some 2,000 refugees from Aqrab are accommodated in Masyaf… In total, we have delivered 6 tonnes of food," Col. Sergei Ivanov told reporters, adding that 400 people had received the aid so far.

The spokesman added that the refugees had handed a list of Aqrab residents kidnapped by the Nusra Front militants to the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, and the Russian negotiators were working on the Syrians' release.

Muhammad Sheikh Ali, a representative of the Masyaf authorities, thanked Russia for supporting Syria in the fight against international terrorism, as well as for humanitarian assistance.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups.

Last week, Russian servicemen delivered 16 metric tons of humanitarian aid to the Hama province.