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Middle East and North Africa

Russian FM: Extremists in Syria try to wreck efforts to sign local accord deals

The Foreign Ministry voiced concern about reports saying militants of Jebhat al-Nusra violated the February 11 agreement under which Palestinian refugees from Yarmouk can leave the camp

MOSCOW, March 05. /ITAR-TASS/. Extremist and terrorist groups in Syria are trying to wreck the efforts to conclude and ensure local conciliation, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Wednesday.

Confrontation continues between government troops and illegal armed units, including international terrorists and extremists, in several regions of Syria, the ministry said.

“We voice concern about reports saying militants of Jebhat al-Nusra violated the February 11 agreement under which Palestinian refugees from Yarmouk can leave the camp. Militants continue mortar fire at residential areas in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo,” the ministry said.

“Bloody clashes continue in certain areas of Aleppo. Syrian servicemen neutralized the detachment ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Levant’ that terrorized residents of certain villages,” the ministry said.

“In parallel the Syrian authorities continue to reach local accords. At present, accords have been reached in more than 50 areas and settlements. Servicemen are holding talks with militants in another 20 areas. In the beginning of March about 400 militants have surrendered arms in different settlements in the west of Damascus,” the ministry said.

“We urge international partners and opposition politicians, who have influence ‘on the ground’, to actively support the process for saving thousands of lives and easing the suffering of peaceful civilians,” the ministry said.

“We should say that extremist and terrorist groups, primarily detachments linked with Jebhat al-Nusra, Islamic State of Iraq and Levant and Islamic Front, are trying to torpedo the efforts aimed at concluding and ensuring local conciliation and reaching new agreements,” the ministry said.

“We reiterate that the Syrian conflict cannot be settled by force. Violence can be ceased only by political and diplomatic means in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué of June 30, 2013,” the ministry said.

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Middle East and North Africa

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