Iran sends humanitarian aid for Palestinian refugees in Syria

TEHRAN,Dec.29(MNA)– The Iranian Red Crescent Society has sent its first cargo of humanitarian aid weighing about 36 tons for residents of the Yarmouk refugee camp, which is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, the Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday. The cargo contains two ambulances, food, medicine, blankets, and some other goods. During a ceremony, the cargo was delivered to local officials in order to be distributed among the affected people. The Iranian ambassador to Syria, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, made a speech during the ceremony, in which he said the shipment of the humanitarian aid illustrates the fact that Iran supports the Palestinian people in difficult times. The Yarmouk refugee camp, which is located near the centre of Damascus and houses Palestinians and also Syrians displaced by the conflict, was attacked on December 16 and, according to Reuters, Syrian rebels took full control of the camp on December 17. Rebels said on December 19 that they had negotiated to put the camp back into the hands of Palestinians, Reuters reported. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, there are 486,000 Palestinian refugees living in nine official and three unofficial camps across Syria.