19.06.2020, New York.
Russia’s effort has returned more than 2 million refugees to Syria, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Gennady Kuzmin said on June 18 at a briefing of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
According to the diplomat, Russia’s initiative to return Syrian refugees to their homes “demonstrates significant progress.” “The number of Syrian refugees and displaced people returning to their homes continues to grow, and is has exceeded 2 million,” Kuzmin noted.
Russia helps the Syrian government to restore its basic housing infrastructure, the diplomat said. This includes water and power supply systems, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings.
“Today we focus on the implementation of the package of anti-epidemic measures to fight COVID-19,” Kuzmin said. The diplomat added that more and more Syrian regions are becoming safe for people to live.
The civil war in Syria began in 2011 during the so-called “Arab spring.” Before Russia became involved in 2015, 80% of the country’s territory was under IS (organization banned in Russia) militants’ control.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
