The United States continues strikes against Syria and occupies the country’s territories, according to a joint statement by Mikhail Mizintsev, head of Russia’s National Defence Management Centre, and Hussein Makhluf, Syria’s municipal government and environment minister
“The United States is launching air strikes on the territory of the sovereign Syrian state and continues to illegally occupy its territories. At the same time, there is not even a hint of the restoration of a safe and dignified peaceful life in the areas under their control”, – the statement said.
The sides also noted that the US, in the face of fighting the coronavirus, continues its “inhumane sanctions policy against the long-suffering people of Syria”.
In addition, Mizintsev and Makhluf said, Washington is putting pressure on the countries in the region with the largest number of Syrian refugees, forcing intimidation on refugees by the difficult domestic political and socio-economic situation at home and the numerous problems faced by those returning to Syria.
At the same time, the statement said, inter-agency coordination headquarters of Russia and Syria are making every effort to restore peaceful life in the country and help Syrian citizens to return home voluntarily and safely.
According to the authorities, so far more than 2.2 million refugees have already returned to their places of chosen residence. The Syrian government, it said, is taking all possible measures to create decent living conditions, new jobs, restore infrastructure and social facilities.
Particular attention is being paid to anti-epidemic measures and the rehabilitation of medical facilities.
“Medical centres in the provinces are being reopened with all necessary equipment, including refrigerated units for storing medicines, mobile operating rooms, ambulances and uninterrupted power generators”, – the document said.
The Pentagon said on February 26 that the US had struck several buildings on the Syrian-Iraqi border used by a number of Iranian-backed paramilitary groups. The move, the Pentagon noted, was in response to recent attacks on US and coalition troops in Iraq.