The Russian military held a humanitarian action in the Syrian city of Raqqa. They distributed several thousand food packages, and military doctors began to provide medical assistance. This was told to journalists by an officer of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the warring parties (CPVS) Vladimir Varnavsky.

“For the first time, servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation held a humanitarian action in the city of Racca,” he said. “These are just the first steps to stabilize the situation and end the humanitarian crisis.”

Barnavsky recalled that the city was controlled by terrorists for 4.5 years. The Islamic State * considered Raqqa its capital. Before the conflict began, it was one of the largest Syrian cities with a developed economy and industry, said Barnavsky. The IS took control of the city in 2013, and in 2017, the armed forces of the Syrian opposition, with the support of the US-led coalition, returned Rakka to their control.

  • Russian military handed out humanitarian aid in Raqqa

"The work on clearing the debris has not yet been completed."

According to Barnavsky, it was in 2017 that the city infrastructure was almost completely destroyed by the blows of the coalition. He pointed out that the United States and its allies fired indiscriminately at the city, resulting in numerous civilian casualties.

“In 2017, Raqqa’s socio-economic infrastructure was completely destroyed during an operation to liberate it from an international coalition led by the United States. Thousands of civilians became victims of indiscriminate air and artillery attacks. The city has not yet completed work on clearing the rubble, clearing the area. There is a shortage of clean water, medicine and food, ”the officer explained.

The fact that U.S. actions led to a humanitarian catastrophe in Raqqa, Russia said back in 2017. Then Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov pointed to "chronic" errors when the coalition launched air strikes.

"We are fixing a humanitarian catastrophe in Raqqa, and before that in Mosul, caused by the lack of effective urgent measures to transport humanitarian aid and the creation of corridors for the evacuation of civilians, not to mention the numerous" chronic "errors of American aviation, including striking at civilian targets," - RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

  • US Air Force aircraft in Syria
  • Reuters
  • © US Air Force / Staff Sgt. Michael battles

Note that the United States had a military base at the Tabka airfield located near the city. However, in early October, Turkey began to conduct the military operation "Source of Peace" in the Syrian territories near its borders, in connection with which the US military left the region.

At the same time, the Syrian government concluded an agreement with local Kurdish formations, according to which it took control of these territories. In the second half of October, Russian Aerospace Forces helicopters landed at the former US air base. Russian aviation and military police, together with Turkey, regularly patrol these areas.

At the same time, the process of returning the country to peaceful life continues in Syria. More than a year (since July 2018), over 488 thousand people returned to the country. During the same period, 926 educational and 221 medical institutions were restored, more than a thousand kilometers of power lines were laid, 186 water supply facilities, 757 power substations, and almost 14.5 thousand industrial enterprises were put into operation.

In total, Russia held in Syria more than 2.2 thousand humanitarian actions. During them, 3.8 thousand tons of food, bottled water and basic necessities were distributed to local residents. Almost 110 thousand Syrians received medical assistance from Russian military doctors.

  • © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

American presence

A coalition led by the United States and opposition loyal groups controlled the north and northeast of Syria. The operation, carried out by Washington and their allies, is called "Unshakable Determination." It also runs partially in Iraq.

At the same time, the coalition does not deny that their actions lead to numerous casualties among the civilian population, but the number they call is much smaller. An official report by the Head of Unshakable Determination reports that more than 1.3 thousand civilians were killed as a result of coalition strikes from August 2014 to October 2019.

“From August 2014 to the end of November 2019, the coalition delivered 34,706 blows. According to the estimates of the COOG-ONR (Joint Integrated Operational Group - Operation “Unshakable Determination.” - RT ) relying on the available data, during this period from the beginning of the operation “Unshakable Decision” the death of at least 1347 civilians was an unintended result of the actions of the coalition, ” - says the headquarters report.

With the start of the Turkish operation, the United States withdrew significant forces from this region. However, part of the troops remained to guard the oil fields. According to the American administration, income from the sale of resources goes to Kurdish formations.

However, the Russian Ministry of Defense revealed a scheme for selling oil. According to the data provided by the defense department, the United States smuggles Syrian resources into the smuggling, and the proceeds from this proceeds go to the accounts of private military companies and special services.

“Given that the cost of one barrel of Syrian smuggled oil is $ 38, the monthly revenue of this“ private business ”of US public services exceeds $ 30 million,” the Ministry of Defense emphasized.

* “Islamic State” (ISIS, ISIS) - the organization was recognized as terrorist by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014.