HMEIMIM. March 21 (Interfax) - U.S. forces are not able to protect the population of the Rukban camp from crimes being committed by militants and, therefore, it is necessary to evacuate refugees from this camp, the head of the Russian center for reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria, Viktor Kupchishin, said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
"Since the American side is unable to suppress the mayhem being waged by illegal armed formations against militants, and also since state and non-governmental structures don't have any opportunity to systemically deliver humanitarian aid to the population of the Rukban camp, the evacuation of refugees from this camp remains the only means of saving these more than 40,000 people from the threat of starvation and disease outbreaks," Kupchishin said.
Illegal armed units active in the Idlib de-escalation area continue violating the truce, attacking a number of localities in the Latakia governorate and on the north-western outskirts of the city of Aleppo in the past day, he said.