Flour Delivered to Hama, Syria as Part of Russian Humanitarian Aid

Three metric tons of wheat flour was delivered for the first time to the Syrian city of Hama, as part of humanitarian aid from Russia.

HAMA (Sputnik) – Three metric tons of wheat flour was delivered for the first time to the Syrian city of Hama, mostly controlled by government forces, as part of humanitarian aid from Russia.

The flour will be processed at the city’s central bakery, and the traditional Syrian flatbreads made from it will be sent to the most vulnerable groups of the population. Such groups include internally displaced persons who fled to Hama province from territories occupied by Daesh and the Nusra Front.

According to a spokesperson from the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, the bread made from the Russian flour will be taken this week to the refugee camps located near the city. At least three routes to settlements which are home to thousands of people who've fled the terrorists have been worked out, the spokesperson said.

Since 2011, Syria has been mired in a civil war, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting a number of militant groups and opposition factions. The conflict has significantly damaged the country's economy and caused a humanitarian disaster.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), 6.6 million Syrians are internally displaced, while over 4.8 million have fled the country amid violence.

A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force on February 27 across Syria. It was supported by Damascus, as well as by dozens of opposition groups on the ground. The Islamic State (also known as Daesh) and the Nusra Front (both outlawed in Russia) were not part of the deal.