Russia calls for int'l aid for residents of Syria's Aleppo

MOSCOW - Russia's Defense Ministry on Monday called on international organizations and other countries to provide aid for residents of the Syrian city of Aleppo.

"Humanitarian aid from Kazakhstan was sent from the Syrian port of Tartus (to Aleppo). Earlier, aid came from Armenia, Belarus and Serbia. However, aid from other countries and international organizations, whose representatives in their offices have repeatedly talked about the plight of the Syrian people and the humanitarian disaster in the country, hasn't been received so far," said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.

Besides water and bread, residents in Aleppo also need glass, cement, pipes and construction materials, he said.

Konashenkov said a peaceful life has returned to Aleppo and other towns. Locals are rebuilding their houses, and schools and hospitals have reopened.

Last month, the Syrian government forces recaptured the city from rebel forces which had been occupying the city since 2012. The five-year civil war in Syria has killed more than 300,000 people and caused a serious refugee crisis.