Some 80,000 Expected to Return to East Aleppo - ICRC Delegation to Syria

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates 80,000 people will return to eastern Aleppo after its recapture by Syrian government forces late last year, head of the ICRC delegation to Syria Marian Gaser told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On December 16, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Syrian army's operation to liberate militant-controlled eastern Aleppo ended; however, several hotbeds of militant resistance remained.

On December 22, the last militants left eastern Aleppo; thus the Syrian army gained full control over the city. Syrian President Bashar Assad called the liberation of Aleppo a "watershed moment."

"We estimate approximately 80,000 people could come back to eastern Aleppo," Glaser said.

"Those who come back… they still come back even if half of their houses are damaged or destroyed."

The ICRC needs increased humanitarian contacts with Russia on Syria, Gaser said.

"What is really needed is regular contacts, especially at field level, which we had very good in Aleppo during the December evacuation operation. I would really qualify it as very very good coordination," Gaser said. "We need to continue to coordinate. The more regular, the better"

"The ICRC needs, but also welcomes any state which would contribute to its budget in terms of funding, but I came here mainly to discuss humanitarian issues," Gaser said.