UN aid delivery to Rukban camp in Syria disrupted by US

The delivery of humanitarian cargo to the Rukban camp near the Syrian city of Al-Tanf was disrupted by the US side, the head of the Russian center for reconciliation of conflicting sides in Syria has told reporters.

Reuters reported on Friday, citing a UN official in Damascus, that the delivery, scheduled for Saturday, was "delayed for logistical and security reasons." According to the Russian Reconciliation Center head, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko, the convoy was to take over 450 tonnes of food and medicines to the refugee camp.

"Once again as a result of actions by the US side, which has been unable to fulfill its commitments to ensure safety within the 55-km radius around its base in Al-Tanf, the convoy’s departure was disrupted," he said.

According to the Russian general, the Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra militant group, tasked by the US forces with ensuring the safe passage of the convoy, was unable to create conditions for a successful humanitarian delivery.

"The issue of providing security guarantees to international convoys within the 55-km zone, which is under the US control, remains open," Savchenko said.

He added that without US guarantees, aid deliveries would be extremely dangerous, because the Al-Tanf zone is swarming with "independent militants, who are not reporting to anyone and are capable of any provocations."

Savchenko also said that militants in the Idlib de-escalation zone keep violating the ceasefire regime. Among other things, the Russian military detected shelling of western outskirts of Aleppo and the town of Tell-Bazam in the province of Hama.