Belarus could send 200 servicemen to Syria for humanitarian operations

MOSCOW

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Monday instructed the Russian Defense and Foreign ministries to negotiate and sign an agreement with Belarus on providing humanitarian aid to Syria.

The draft agreement, published on the Russian government's website, suggests sending up to Belarusian 200 servicemen to Syria "exclusively for humanitarian purposes outside the combat zone."

The Belarusian military will carry out the tasks of providing humanitarian assistance together with the Russian armed forces, according to the draft.

The Belarusian contingents are supposed to be deployed at the Syrian Khmeimim airbase, currently operated by the Russian military.