Shipping traffic to Syria surges as Russia steps up offensive

© Khunaspix Dreamstime.

One effect of the Russians joining the war in Syria and bombing everything is sight is that it has allowed cargo vessels to resuming calling at the two main ports of Tartous and Latakia. Some 95 ships have arrived in the past month, more than double the monthly average since the five-year war began. Given the economic sanctions placed on the country by the EU and US, most of the sailings originated in Russia, and cargoes are said to include arms and munitions as well as humanitarian goods.