The United States is delaying the relocation of refugees from the Rukban camp, located within the US-controlled zone in Syria's At-Tanf, as it aspires to organize convoys with international humanitarian assistance that will enable further existence of the camp, Alexander Marchenko, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st March, 2019) The United States is delaying the relocation of refugees from the Rukban camp, located within the US-controlled zone in Syria's At-Tanf, as it aspires to organize convoys with international humanitarian assistance that will enable further existence of the camp, Alexander Marchenko, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Friday.
Syrian authorities are starting on Friday, in consultation with Russia, to form humanitarian convoys in order to enable the return of the refugees to the places of their permanent residence from the camp, where conditions have become increasingly dire over insufficient aid deliveries.
"The United States remains the only obstacle to resolving this problem, as it delays the process of camp resettlement, expecting to enable its existence by organizing convoys with international humanitarian assistance," Marchenko said at a meeting of the joint Russia-Syria coordination center on refugee repatriation.
He stressed that Moscow remained concerned over the catastrophic situation in Rukban and was actively discussing it with representatives of foreign states, international organizations and non-governmental groups, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Marchenko stressed that Russia's stance on US illegal military presence in At-Tanf and the need for urgent relocation of the Rukban refugees was receiving increasing support of international partners.
He voiced hope that all the members of the global community would prioritize the interests of the Syrian people over their own geopolitical interests, referring not just to Rukban but to the situation in Syria in general.
Mikhail Mizintsev, the head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, stressed, at the same meeting, that the US Central Command was obliged to ensure security of the convoys that the Syrian government would organize on Friday.
"The US [Central] Command is obliged to ensure security of the convoys during their passing through the illegally US-occupied zone in At-Tanf," Mizintsev said, stressing that delay in refugees relocation could result in "suffering" and even new victims among the refugees.
He praised the Syrian government for making "unprecedented" steps for the sake of saving its people, emphasizing that the Syrian authorities guaranteed "absolute security" of its residents.
The Russian and Syrian General Staffs said in a joint statement on Wednesday that while around 95 percent of the Rukban refugees wanted to leave the camp, the United States was preventing their exit.
