Russians hail return of refugees as vindication for its Syrian war

NEARLY 114,000 Syrian refugees have been repatriated this year, the Russian military said, a fraction of the estimated six million who have fled since the start of the conflict.

Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev said more than 177,000 internally displaced people have also returned to their homes in 2018. He said the returns demonstrate that “the war is over and the country’s restoration is proceeding at full pace”.

Russia, which has waged a military campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has pushed for the repatriation of refugees. Western governments say it is too early to encourage return to go back.

The conflict, which began with a peaceful uprising against Assad in 2011, has displaced half of Syria’s 23 million people, including an estimated 5.6 million refugees living in other countries.

Col Gen Mizintsev also criticised the US for failing to ensure delivery of aid to a desert camp for displaced Syrians in Tanf in southern Syria, near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders.

“It’s the last bulwark of evil, injustice and horror for simple Syrians created by the US,” he said. “The US has illegally occupied the territory so it bears full responsibility for conditions in the camp.”

The Syrian government and Russia have blamed US troops stationed near the Rukban camp near the border with Jordan for failing to provide security for aid shipments, allegations the US has denied. Jordan closed the border over security concerns.

Last month, the UN and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent organised a desperately needed aid delivery to Rukban, and Col Gen Mizintsev said Russia and Syria would support another aid convoy to the camp.