MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. The Russian army has started a humanitarian operation in Syria, Head of the General Staff Main Operations Department Sergey Rudskoy said on Friday.

According to him, some international non-governmental organizations are delivering humanitarian aid to Syria. "However, this aid is mostly being delivered to the areas controlled by militants where most of this aid gets into the hands of extremists and is used for bandit formations’ supplies," Rudskoy said.

"Also attempts were registered on many occasions to deliver weapons and ammunition and evacuate wounded militants under the guise of humanitarian convoys," the official said.

"That is why, a decision has been made for the Russian Armed Forces to launch a humanitarian operation in the Syrian Arab Republic," the general added.

A very difficult situation has emerged in most of Syrian populated settlements as a result of the armed conflict that erupted in Syria in 2011, the general said.