LATAKIA /Syria/, March 25. /TASS/. The ceasefire regime in Syria is generally observed, chief of Russia’s center for reconciliation of the warring parties, Lieutenant General Sergei Kuralenko, said on Friday.
"The Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria continues round-the-clock monitoring of the observance of the ceasefire regime between the government army and opposition forces," he said.
"Over the past week, officers of the center conducted ceasefire talks with representatives from 11 armed groups acting in the provinces of Damascus and Aleppo. They also had working meetings with representatives of local administrations of 16 settlements in the provinces of Damascus, Al Quneitra, Hama, Latakia and Daraa to discuss issues related to establishing peaceful life in these settlements and delivering humanitarian assistance to civilians," Kuralenko said.
According to a regular information bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry’s website, seven ceasefire violations have been registered in the past day in the province of Latakia.
"Positions of the government troops thrice came under mortar fire by militants of the Ahrar ash-Sham group which positions itself as ‘opposition’ from the settlement of Shamruran. Unidentified armed groups opened mortar and gun fire from the settlement of Al Knedda at the villages of Khakur-Takhtani and Ard al Wata. Government troops came under mortar shelling from the settlement of Ain Al-Qantara controlled by Ahram ash-Sham," the bulletin says.
"No air strikes have been delivered by the Russian air group and the Syrian air force at armed opposition group which have declared cessation of hostilities and referred their coordinates to the Russian or US reconciliation centers," the bulletin says.
Russian ceasefire center delivers 19 tons of humanitarian aid to three Syrian provinces
More than 19 tons of humanitarian cargoes have been deliverd to Syria’s Damascus, Hama and Homs provinces over the past week, chief of Russia’s center for reconciliation of the warring parties, Kuralenko went on to say.
He stressed that Russia’s reconciliation center officers often have to deliver humanitarian aid under fire from militants.
"Since the day of its establishment, the Russian center has delivered humanitarian aid to 31 settlements in the provinces of Damascus, Hama and Homs," Kuralenko said.
According to an information bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry’s website on Friday, the Russian reconciliation center has delivered 3.8 tons of humanitarian cargoes to the settlement of Yalda in the Damascus province.
"Representatives of the Russian reconciliation center’s operational group had a working meeting with the leaders of two political organization to discuss the humanitarian situation in the province Al Qunietra," the ministry said.
One preliminary ceasefire agreement reached in Syria’s Hama in past day
According to the bulletin, a preliminary ceasefire agreement has been reached in the past day with representatives of one settlement in Syria’s Hama province.
According to the Russian defense ministry, the number of settlements that have joined the ceasefire agreement remains unchanged - 51.
"A working meeting was held with representatives from the administration of the Damascus province to discuss issues of humanitarian deliveries and establishing peaceful live in settlements hit in combat operations. Talks were continued with the leaders of two armed groups acting in the province of Damascus. The number of opposition groups that have declared their commitment to ceasefire terms is 43," the bulletin says.
Russian, US reconciliation centers officers discuss control over ceasefire regime in Syria
The command of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria has held another round of telephone talks with partners at the U.S. reconciliation center to discuss problems related to the control over ceasefire observance and humanitarian deliveries to settlements in the province of Damascus, the Russian defense ministry said in an information bulletin.
"The settlement of Fua in Syria’s province of Idlib twice came under shelling from Jabhat al-Nusra gunmen. Three people were killed and three more were wounded. According to reports from people living in the Hama province, Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists have abducted 12 residents of the settlements of Abu Ajwa, al-Shiha, Suruj and Tel Halawa located in Hama’s eastern part for their participation in the process of national reconciliation," the ministry said.
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.