MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - The Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria has trained the first group of Syrian sappers and has provided them with demining equipment, Russian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.
Russia's Mine Action Center has been doing a lot to clear civilian sites and infrastructures of mines; it is restoring Damascus water intakes and is demining Aleppo in collaboration with the Syrian authorities, the minister said.
"As you know, practically every unique historical and cultural monument has been mined there. For the purpose of broadening our front and spreading it into the maximal number of territories, we established a training center for sappers, and the first Syrian sappers graduated yesterday; they were provided with hardware so that they could start demining," Shoigu said.