MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. The ceasefire regime has been observed in Syria in the past day, however groups constituting the terrorist organization Islamic State who are not covered by the ceasefire agreement continued to attack positions of the Syrian army near Palmyra, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its regular daily information bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry’s website on Friday.
"During the day, Islamic State gunmen backed by fire from mortars and U-23 multiple missile launcher systems mounted on pickup trucks stages several attempts to attack positions of the Syrian armed force near the Shaer gas field some 40 kilometers northwest of the city of Palmyra in the province of Homs. All the attacks were repelled, militants retreated sustaining considerable losses," the center said.
The center noted that the regime of silence imposed across entire Syria expires at 23:59 Moscow time on July 8.
"No air strikes were delivered by the Russian air group and the Syrian air force at armed opposition group which have declared cessation of hostilities and informed the Russian or U.S. reconciliation centers about their locations," the bulletin says.
Reconciliation talks continue
Talks on joining the regime of cessation of hostilities continue with field commanders of armed opposition groups in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Hama and al-Quneitra, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria.
"Talks on joining the regime of cessation of hostilities were continued with field commanders of armed opposition groups in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Hama and al-Quneitra," the center said.
During the day, no reconciliation agreements were signed with representatives of Syrian settlements. The number of settlements joining the reconciliation process remains unchanged - 177, the center said. The number illegal armed groups that declared their commitment to the ceasefire terms remains unchanged - 61.
A total of 18 tons of United Nations humanitarian cargoes, primarily food products and cereals, were delivered by a Russian Abakan Air plane to the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor besieged by Islamic State terrorists, as follows from the bulletin.
A ceasefire regime brokered by Russia and the United States on February 22 officially came into effect in Syria at midnight Damascus time on February 27. This does not cover terrorist groups such as Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, both outlawed in Russia, and other groups recognized as terrorist by the United Nations Security Council.
An hour before the ceasefire came into force, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution in support cessation of hostilities in Syria. The document was initiated by Russia and the United States and won support from all the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council.
The Russian reconciliation center aims to assist armed groups in Syria in concluding ceasefire agreements, maintain the truce regime, control its observance and organize the delivery of humanitarian cargoes to civilians.