Convoys Will be Organized for Voluntary Return of Besieged Civilians in al-Rukban Camp

MOSCOW– The Syrian and Russian coordination committees for the return of displaced Syrians announced that convoys will be organized to allow the voluntary return of civilians from al-Rukban camp in al-Tanf area to their permanent residential places who are besieged by the US troops in the camp, according to SANA.

In a joint statement published on the website of the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday, the two sides said “the Syrian government, in coordination with the Russian side, will form humanitarian convoys for the voluntary unimpeded return of Rukban residents to their permanent residence starting March 1, 2019.”

The statement noted that the entry of the convoys into the “US-occupied zone around al-Tanf for the evacuation of refugees from the Rukban camp will be carried out in coordination with the UN.”

 The statement went on to say that the United States “prevents their [the displaced] exit, misleads the refugees by saying that it is impossible to leave the camp and disseminating rumors that they will face devastation, forced conscription and arrests on the territory controlled by the Syrian government.”

Both sides urged the United States, “whose military units are illegally located in Syria, to leave the country,” according to the statement.