DAMASCUS, (SANA)- A Russian aircraft on Thursday arrived in Damascus International Airport carrying on board 38 tons of food supplies in aid to the families affected due to the crisis in Syria.

Deputy Director of Emergencies Department at the Russian Ministry of Extraordinary Situations, Alexander Bogdanov, said the Russian government decided to send humanitarian aid to Syria out of the friendly relations between both countries.

He noted that another aircraft scheduled to arrive tomorrow with a second batch of humanitarian aid will also be carrying 38 other tons of food supplies, indicating to the arrival of a third batch at a date to be determined later.

Bogdanov said that the cargo of today's aircraft included sugar, meat, milk and canned fish.

"This aid is an evidence of Russia's principled stances towards Syria and the strong and solid relations between the Syrian and Russian governments and peoples," said Assistant Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hassan Hijazi.

He highlighted that the distribution of the food materials will be carried out through cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, in addition to the civil and non-government organizations.

For his part, Bassel Salah-Eddin, from the Public Relations Department at the SARC, stressed on coordination with the Ministry and civil organizations to ensure delivering the aid supplies to the affected people at the shelter centers and housing gatherings in the various provinces.

H. Said