Russia Sends De-mining Team To Syria's Deir ez-Zor

A Russian Armed Forces’ demining unit has been dispatched along with Uran-6 mine-clearing robotic systems to Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry reported Monday.

"More than 40 specialists of the advanced detachment of the International Mine Action Center of the Russian Armed Forces, 7 special equipment units and a group of dog handlers with mine detection dogs have been redeployed to Syria’s Hmeymim airfield by military-transport planes," Tass reported quoting the Defense Ministry Monday.

"The military servicemen will soon be sent to Deir ez-Zor’s liberated areas for reconnaissance and assessment of the scope of the upcoming mine clearance operation."

It is planned to send a total of 175 military servicemen from the International Mine Action Center and 42 units of special equipment to Syria to take part in the humanitarian demining effort.

"Sappers will first demine roads leading to the city’s social infrastructure facilities, hospitals, schools, dwelling houses, water and power supply facilities and historical cultural monuments," the ministry said.

Specialists from the Russian Mine Action Center have successfully conducted mine clearance operations in Palmyra and Aleppo. Russian military servicemen have deactivated over 62,000 explosive objects and demined about 5,300 hectares of territory.