MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. At least 40 ceasefire violations by illegal armed groups have been registered in the past 24 hours in Syria, including 20 breaches in the region of Aleppo, 15 ― in the Damascus province, and five ― in the Latakia province, the Russian Center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its daily news bulletin posted on the Russian Defense Ministry’s official website on Saturday.
"Armed groups, which have announced joining the regime of cessation of hostilities, delivered fire from mortars and small arms in the Damascus province ― on the populated localities of Harasta, Jobar, Bala al-Kadima, Douma, and the positions of government forces on Abu Ali mountain in the Latakia province. At 1:15pm, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the city of Damascus came under mortar fire, no one was hurt," the document says.
In the Latakia province, militants shelled the village of Jourin and used an unmanned aerial vehicle with an explosive device that left a civilian wounded in the settlement of Rasha.
"Terrorist detachments carried out strikes from home-made multiple missile launchers, gun artillery, anti-tank guided systems, mortars and firearms in the Aleppo province at the settlements of Shurfa and the districts of ‘3000,’ ‘1070,’ Hay al-Ansari, Arian, al-Masharka, control checkpoint No.1 in the al-Masharqa district, the al-Assad military academy, Al-Nayrab airport and the positions of government forces near the districts of ‘1070’, Hay al-Ansari and Ramusi in the city of Aleppo," the document reads.
Moreover, militants of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham group used a suicide bomber’s vehicle against government troops in Aleppo’s Hay al-Ansari district. Five soldiers were killed and seven more wounded in the attack.
Russia’s Aerospace Force and Syria’s Air Force have not been delivering strikes on opposition armed units that had announced the cessation of hostilities and reported their location to the Russian or US reconciliation centers.
Reconciliation of warring parties
"In the past 24 hours, reconciliation agreements have been inked with eight populated localities in the provinces of Latakia (5), Hama (2) and Homs (1). The number of populated localities that joined the reconciliation process has increased to 865," the bulletin says.
Talks on joining the cessation of hostilities are underway with the field commanders of illegal armed units in the settlement of Moadamyiet al-Shih in the Damascus provincr and with groups of armed opposition in the regions of Homs, Aleppo and Quneitra.
"The number of armed groups that pledged their commitments to accepting and fulfilling the conditions of the cessation of hostilities remained unchanged ― 69," the center said.
Humanitarian assistance
Special centers keep operating in the city of Aleppo, providing hot meals and daily necessities to civilians who are leaving the districts controlled by illegal armed groups.
The Russian Defense Ministry declared the establishment of the reconciliation center on February 23. It is headquartered at the Hmeymim air base, Latakia province. The center was set up in line with agreements reached by Russia and the United States to facilitate the negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition and to organize humanitarian deliveries.