Big News Network (IANS)
Tuesday 26th February, 2013
The Russian embassy in Syria evacuated 25 Russian nationals from Syria’s Aleppo city, where fierce clashes continue between government forces and rebels, a spokesperson for the diplomatic mission said Tuesday.
The Russians, mainly women and children, were evacuated in two groups by military helicopters belonging to the Syrian army.
“The day before yesterday, 18 people left Aleppo for [the eastern Syrian city of] Latakia. Today, seven more people were evacuated,” he said, adding that two Belarusians and one Ukrainian woman were also among the evacuees.
Last week, two Russian Emergencies Ministry planes evacuated some 100 Russians from war-stricken Syria, after bringing 46 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid to Latakia.
Another group of evacuees was brought back to Russia from Syria in January.
The Russian Embassy in Syria estimated that some 30,000 Russians lived in the country, but other reports suggest the figure could be higher.
About 70,000 people have died in Syria since the start of the uprising against Assad in March 2011, according to UN figures.
— IANS/RIA Novosti
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