All news

Ten breaches of ceasefire registered in Syria over 24 hours — Russia's Defense Ministry

The ceasefire mostly holds and the number of violations involving heavy weapons had reduced

MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. Ten violations of the cessation of hostilities have been registered in Syria over the past 24 hours, with four violations - in Aleppo, three - in Latakia, one - in Homs and one - in Hama, the bulletin said placed on Russian Defense Ministry's official website on Wednesday.

The ceasefire mostly holds and the number of violations involving heavy weapons had reduced, the bulletin said.

Russia’s Aerospace Force and Syria’s Air Force have not been delivering strikes on opposition armed units that had announced the cessation of hostilities and reported their location to the Russian or US reconciliation centers.

The defense ministry said that the number of residential localities which heads signed the ceasefire agreements remained unchanged over the past 24 hours - 51.

"Consultations are ongoing with leaders of four opposition political parties and movements, operating in Syria," the bulletin reads. "Problematic issues on the path for reconciliation and ways for their solutions have been discussed. The number of armed units that announced their commitment to implementation of the cessation of hostilities stands at 42."

Besides, specialists of the Russian center for reconciliation of warring sides in Syria had taken part in a meeting with representatives of initiative groups and political and public organizations in the Deraa and Damascus provinces. The meeting focused on coordination of efforts in order to end fighting and to deliver humanitarian aid.

According to the bulletin, aid convoys are being readied for residents of some settlements in the Homs province.

The ceasefire has been effective in Syria since February 27. It does not apply to the groups Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra (both outlawed in Russia), and also to other groups declared as terrorist by the UN Security Council.

The Russian Defense Ministry declared the establishment of the reconciliation center on February 23. It is headquartered at the Hmeimim air base, Latakia province. The center was set up in line with agreements reached by Russia and the United States to facilitate the negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition and to organize humanitarian deliveries.

Russia joined the operation against terrorists in Syria on September 30, 2015 at the request of Syrian president Bashar Assad. On March 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered starting the pullout of the main Russian air group from Syria as of March 15. He said the tasks set to the Russian military had been coped with "by and large."