The road connects Damascus to Aleppo.
Taking the M5 highway from Damascus to Aleppo under the control of the Syrian army and ensuring safe passage along it allowed for the supply of food to the militancy-affected provinces of Syria – Aleppo and Idlib.
The M5 highway is one of the main highways in Syria, connecting the capital Damascus with the economic center and one of the largest cities of Aleppo. Until recently, part of the highway could not be accessed because it was controlled by militants. The last section came under Syrian government control only recently, when Syrian troops entered the city of Saraqib, located in the eastern province of Idlib. Russian military police were introduced into Saraqib to ensure the safety and unhindered movement of vehicles and civilians on the M4 and M5 routes.
“We are a relatively prosperous province, in fact the centre of Syria, so we are constantly receiving instructions and instructions from Damascus to assist affected provinces such as Idlib or Deir ez Zor”, – Deputy Governor of Hama Amer Sultan told Russian journalists. – “We share our strategic stockpiles with the affected provinces. Most of it is agricultural products, bread, flour and vegetables”.
Food and basic necessities are now being sent daily from Hama, one of Syria’s central provinces, he said, to affected provinces that are recovering from terrorist liberation.
“We send food to Deir al-Zor and Aleppo, almost every day. Thanks to the army, the province of Hama is now rapidly increasing its agricultural production”, – the vice-governor explained.
Hama is also hosting refugees from affected areas, and many Idlib and Aleppo residents work in the province’s businesses.
In Hama, which also suffered from militancy a few years ago, new businesses are constantly opening up.
“Of the new businesses, we have a medical equipment factory. You know this is a very hot topic right now. This factory makes all kinds of devices that make life easier for the disabled – prostheses, medical wheelchairs and so on”, – Amer Sultan said.
Two bakeries have also opened in Hama, which supply the largest cities with products. Another major state-owned bakery, which supplies traditional Syrian cakes – Hybiz – not only to civilians but also to the government army, has increased its production in recent years.
“We have 96 employees, three lines, we work 24 hours a day, we do not stop at all. Every day we make 41 tons of bread, on the last day of the week, Thursday [on the eve of the weekend, which begins on Friday] – about 53 tons. We supply bread not only to civilians, but also to our army, for example, on Thursdays we make 26 tonnes of bread for the army”, – said Ahmed Al Numar, director of the company.
The products of the plant are also supplied to neighboring cities, so now, against the backdrop of the fight against the spread of coronavirus, the plant is paying special attention to cleanliness. “Every employee is given a special soap in the morning, almost every 15 minutes he or she has to wash his or her hands. You also saw that there is a special person who sprays chlorine solution on the floor,” explains the director.
Before the war in Syria, Hama was one of the country’s tourist destinations. People from all over the world came here to see the city’s business card, the ancient Nori water pumping wheels, which are the oldest in the world. They were already rebuilt shortly after the province was liberated from terrorists. Now the park where they are located is closed due to a quarantine related to the prevention of coronavirus, but in the future, both locals and tourists are expected here.