GENEVA (Sputnik) – Western countries know the truth about the voluntary nature of humanitarian evacuation from Syria’s Eastern Ghouta, have access to information about the situation in the area, but still continue to circulate rumors about alleged violations of international law, a diplomatic source told Sputnik.
“Western members of the International Syria Support Group, including the humanitarian task force, that is spreading rumors about the alleged coercive nature of evacuation and violations of international law, are well aware of the truth. They also receive objective information from UN,” the diplomatic source said.
The source noted that the employees of international humanitarian organizations shared with Russian diplomats and military their impressions of the course of humanitarian evacuation from Eastern Ghouta organized by the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation.
According to the source, the UN staff has an opportunity to communicate with civilians in person, and it notes their statements about the voluntary character of the evacuation. All the necessary procedures are rather fast, with no violations of humanitarian law recorded, he emphasized.
“Evacuees receive medical care, they are provided with drinking water, food, basic necessities,” the source stated.
On February 24, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 that urges all conflicting parties to immediately stop all hostilities and adhere to a long-term humanitarian pause across Syria in order to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as medical evacuation of those injured.
Soon after the resolution was adopted, Russia announced a daily five-hour humanitarian break in the fighting to stop casualties among the population and to let civilians leave Eastern Ghouta.
The measures followed the escalation of tensions in Eastern Ghouta, which is located on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus and is controlled by various militant groups.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
