A Russian Emergencies and Civil Defense Ministry has sent a special plane with about 25 metric tons of humanitarian aid to Syria, mainly medicaments, the ministry reports.

      This is the third shipment submitted by Russian Emergency Ministry for Syria. Previously, in September, Russia already sent some 80 metric tons of humanitarian aid to Syria, including canned food, sugar, baby food, blankets and tents.

      Starting from March 2011, Syria continues suffering from an armed conflict between Syrian authorities and opposition. The conflict has already claimed up to 20,000 lives according to various Syrian opposition groups. The UN puts the death toll at over 18,000 people. The Syrian authorities say 8,000 were killed.