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Armenia Sends Another Group Of Sappers, Medics To Syria

Armenian doctors, sappers, and other military personnel attend a farewell ceremony at Yerevan airport before being deployed in Syria in February.

YEREVAN -- Armenia says it has sent a new team of demining experts and other personnel to Syria as part of what it describes as a humanitarian mission with the assistance of Russia.

The Defense Ministry said on June 5 that the group arrived in the northwestern city of Aleppo the previous day, and will conduct mine-clearing efforts and provide medical assistance.

They are replacing a team of 83 demining experts, medical personnel, and security officers who were sent to Syria in February.

One of the Armenian sappers lost his foot while clearing land mines near Aleppo in March.

More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians lived in Aleppo prior to the Syrian civil war. Many ethnic Armenians have fled, including thousands to Armenia.

Syrian government forces regained control of the city in December 2016.

Russia has given crucial support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the conflict, which began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011.