MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Reconciliation agreements were signed during the day with representatives of eight settlements in the Syrian provinces of Homs and Latakia, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties said in its regular daily news bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry’s website on Friday.
"The number of settlements joining the reconciliation process has reached 592," the center said. "Talks on joining the regime of cessation of hostilities were continued with field commanders of armed opposition groups in the provinces of Homs, Aleppo and al-Quneitra. The number of illegal armed groups that declared their commitment to the ceasefire terms remains unchanged — 69," the center added.
According to the Russian center, the ceasefire regime has been generally observed over the day in most Syrian provinces, with six fire violations reported, including four in the Damascus province and two in the Latakia province. Thus, units of the Jaysh al-Islam group which affiliates itself with the opposition opened fire from mortars and multiple missile launcher systems at the settlements of Hawsh-Douara, Jobar, al-Rihan and Harasta in the province of Damascus. Militants of the Ahrar al-Sham group twice shelled the settlement of Kinsibba in the province of Latakia, as follows from the bulletin.
"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 US reconciliation centers about their locations," the center said.
According to the bulletin, hot meals and living essentials distribution outlets are still open for civilians leaving Aleppo’s neighborhoods controlled by illegal armed groups.
However groups constituting the international terrorist organizations Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic State (both outlawed in Russia) continue attempts to break down the regime of cessation of hostilities, the center said.
"During the day, terrorists opened fire from multiple missile launcher systems and mortars at Aleppo’s districts of Hai al-Ansari, 1070, the Castello trade center, and the area in the vicinity of a military school. In the provinces of Damascus, terrorists conducted mortar fire at the settlements of Hawsh Harabu, Hawsh-Nasri, Ibn Sina, a medical service school in the settlement of Harasta and a secondary school in the settlement of Jobar. In the province of Hama, the settlements of Maharda and Kawkab came under shelling," the bulletin says.
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.