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Five ceasefire violations reported in Syria in past day — Russian reconciliation center

MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. The ceasefire regime has been generally observed in most of Syria’s provinces, with five violations reported in the past day (four - in the province Damascus and one - in Aleppo), the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its regular daily bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry’s website on Tuesday.

"In the province of Damascus, units of the Jaysh al-Islam group which aligns itself with the opposition opened mortar fire at positions of government forces near the settlements of Khutaita, al-Jarash and al-Sakhiya. Damascus’ districts of Dahiyat al-Assad and Masaqid-Barza came under mortar fire," the center said.

In the city of Aleppo, Jaysh al-Islam militants shelled the Makani al-Duwairi district from multiple missile launcher systems.

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 referred their coordinates to the Russian or U.S. reconciliation centers, the bulletin says.

Reconciliation data

"Over the past day, truce agreements were reached with representatives of two settlements in the province of Aleppo. Thus, the number of settlements joining the reconciliation process has reached 105," the center said.

An agreement on cessation of hostilities was signed with the field commander of an armed group in the province of Quneitra. The number of armed groups that declared their commitment to the ceasefire terms has reached 59," the bulletin says.

Humanitarian assistance

The Russian reconciliation center said more humanitarian convoys are being formed for Syrian citizens. "Two Russian transport planes dropped 38.5 tons of humanitarian cargoes, mostly food products and cereals to the city of Deir ez-Zor besieged by Islamic State terrorists," the bulletin says.

One ton of humanitarian aid was delivered to the settlement of Akraba in the province of Aleppo. Medical services were offered to 32 local residents, including 14 children.

Terrorist attacks

"Groups of the international terrorist organization Jabhat al-Nusra are continuing combat operations. During the day, they shelled Aleppo’s districts of Ashrafiya, Sheikh Maksoud and Salah al-Din from multiple missile launcher systems," the Russian center said.

In the province of Hama, Syrian government troops came under tank and mortar fire conducted by militants of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group from the settlement of al-Rastan. The settlements of Mahadra, Skalbiya and Zellakiyat came under fire from mortars and multiple missile launcher systems.

"In the province of Damascus, Jabhat al-Nusra groups opened mortar fire at the positions of government troops deployed near the settlement of Marj al-Sultan. In the northern areas of the province of Latakia, government forces repelled Jabhat al-Nusra’s attempted offensive near the settlement of Haddada," the bulletin says.

Ceasefire regime

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.