MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Russian monitors reported 12 ceasefire violations in Syria in the past day, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its regular daily news bulletin on Sunday.
"During the day, Russian officers in the Russian-Turkish joint commission set up to monitor ceasefire violations in Syria reported 12 ceasefire violations, including five in the province of Damascus, five - in the province of Latakia, and two - in the province of Homs," the center said.
Apart from that, according to the bulletin, two reconciliation agreements were signed during the day with the settlements of Al Gazalaniya in the province of Damascus and Umm al-Zeitun in the province of al-Suwayda. "The overall number of Syrian settlements that have joined the reconciliation process has reached 1,376," the center said. "Talks on joining cessation of hostilities were continued with armed opposition groups in the provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, Homs and al-Quneitra."
According to the bulletin, Syria’s government troops regained control of an area of 31 square kilometers during the day. In all, an overall area of 3,457.1 square kilometers has been liberated since January 1, 2017. The number of settlements liberated by Syrian government troops from Islamic State groups since the beginning of the year has reached 196, the center said.
The nationwide ceasefire came into force across Syria at midnight on December 30, 2016 under the agreement on a complex solution to the Syria crisis. Syrian government forces and groups of armed opposition with an overall strength of more than 60,000 have joined the agreement. Russia and Turkey act as the ceasefire guarantors. Ceasefire does not cover terrorist groups, such as Islamic State.
The Russian Defense Ministry declared the establishment of the reconciliation center on February 23, 2016. It is headquartered at the Hmeimim 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.