medical shipment from Cuba
© SANA news agencySyria receives medical shipment from Cuba at Damascus International Airport on August 29, 2016.
A two-tonne shipment of medicine, including vaccines, sent from Cuba has arrived in Syria, which has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy over the past five years.

The Cuban package arrived at Damascus International Airport on Monday. It was the first batch under a banking agreement between Havana and Damascus to settle Cuba's debts due to Syria.

Syria's Transport Minister Ali Hamoud said on Monday that his administration finished preparatory works such as customs clearance, packaging, and transportation to ensure the arrival of the shipment without delay and under the supervision of the country's Health Ministry.

He further thanked Cuba for supporting the Syrian people, who are suffering from violence perpetrated by Takfiri terrorists.

Meanwhile, Syria's Deputy Health Minister Huda al-Sayyed said the shipment includes 200,000 doses of vaccines, adding that more batches will be sent to the Arab country soon.

Cuban Ambassador to Damascus Rogerio Manuel Santana Rodriguez also hailed close relations between the two states and noted that they are facing a common enemy.

medical shipment from Cuba at Damascus
© SANA news agency
Since March 2011, Syria has been hit by militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies.

The Takfiri militants operating in the Middle Eastern state have suffered major setbacks over the past few months as the Syrian army has managed to liberate several areas.

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict.