The United States believes Russia and Syria are hindering aid deliveries to the Rubkban refugee camp, a State Department spokesperson told Sputnik on Friday, just one day after Russia's Defense Ministry said US forces were preventing humanitarian convoys from accessing the area.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st August, 2018) The United States believes Russia and Syria are hindering aid deliveries to the Rubkban refugee camp, a State Department spokesperson told Sputnik on Friday, just one day after Russia's Defense Ministry said US forces were preventing humanitarian convoys from accessing the area.
"The United States and the Coalition fully support the UN request [regarding the aid] and are prepared to facilitate the UN's access to Rukban as soon as Russia and the [Syrian] regime put human lives above political considerations and grant access to those in dire need at the camp to receive cross-border assistance," the spokesperson said.
On Thursday, the head of Russia's National Defense Control Center Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said the United States was preventing humanitarian aid convoys from entering the Rukban camp, where more than 70,000 people are suffering under dire conditions.
The State Department spokesperson said the Syrian government should open access to Rukban, adding that this would be the first critical step toward addressing the problem.
The State Department stressed that civilian populations should be allowed to move freely and return to their homes without fear and be able to receive the help they need.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia expects that the United States will put in practice the achieved understanding about opening the Rukban camp for humanitarian access and will facilitate the return of refugees from there.
The Rukban refugee camp is located within a 55-km de-confliction zone set up by the United States to ensure the safety of its military base near the Iraqi-Syrian border.
