HMEIMIM /Syria/, May 4. /TASS/. The level of violence in Syria has dropped by several times since the ceasefire came into effect in late February and the number of shellings has decreased by around eight-fold, head of the Russian center for reconciliation Sergey Kuralenko said on Wednesday.
"Since the creation of the center on February 27 the violence level has decreased by several times. The shellings both from one side and the other - approximately by eight times," Kuralenko told reporters.
The situation in Syria is stabilizing but tensions remain partly in the northern part of the Latakia province and in Aleppo and also in some areas of the Damascus province, he said.
"Silence regime" effective for ceasefire in Syria
The Russian and US military have found an effective mechanism for a ceasefire in Syria - the introduction of the "regime of silence", head of the Russian reconciliation center went on to say.
"The American side works with the opposition groups. It was able to persuade its charges that it is necessary to observe the silence regime," Kuralenko said. He noted that no mutual fire attacks were observed in Eastern Ghouta over the past few days.
According to Kuralenko, 91 populated localities have joined the truce since the Reconciliation center was set up. "To that end, the center’s specialists hold meetings various population groups, the elders, field commanders and administrations. During this time, 214 negotiations have been held. Besides, 52 application forms have been signed with the gunmen who stopped armed stand-off and returned to peaceful life," Kuralenko said.
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He noted that the center also took part in collecting data on prisoners on both sides, as well as on missing persons and handed the information over to the relevant organizations.
Specialists of the Russian center at Hmeimim airbase hold telephone negotiations with the US analytical group in Amman at least once a day, Kuralenko said.
Nearly 1,000 people got in touch with the center with various questions and requests during its operation. "We process all requests and hand them over to the relevant authorities that are required to make decisions," he said, adding that the center maintained contacts with more than 15 organizations operating in Syria.
"The center’s officers receive timely and accurate information," Kuralenko said.
The ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States officially came into effect in Syria 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.