MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Russian observers registered four instances of the ceasefire breaches in Syria over the past twenty-four hours while the situation in de-escalation zones remains stable in general, Russian’s Defense Ministry reported in its information bulletin on Sunday.
"Within the last 24 hours, the Russian party of the Russia-Turkey Commission on violations of the Joint Agreement has registered 4 cases of firing in the provinces of Damascus (3), and Latakia (1). The Turkish party has registered 2 cases of ceasefire violations in the province of Damascus," the bulletin says.
According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, most cases of "unselective firing from small arms have been registered in the areas controlled by insurgents of the ISIS [the former name of the Islamic State terrorist organization] and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groupings [both are outlawed in Russia]."
Within the last 24 hours, the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides has held 10 humanitarian actions. Civilians in Aleppo have received 1.8 tonnes of food products.
Residents of the al-Quneitra province have received 1 tonne of sets with food products while civilians in the Latakia province have received 1.9 tonnes of sets with food products and bedclothes. Total weight of humanitarian aid has reached 4.7 tonnes.
During the May 4 meeting in the Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed a memorandum on setting up de-escalation zones in Syria.
De-escalation zones have been established in four areas, including the Idlib province, some parts of its neighboring areas in the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces north of the city of Homs, eastern Ghouta, as well as the Daraa and al-Quneitra provinces in southern Syria.
Starting from May 6, military activities and aircraft flights in the de-escalation zones are banned. At the same time, Russia, Iran and Turkey have agreed to take all the necessary measures to continue fighting terrorists on these territories and in the rest of Syria. Russia’s Defense Ministry stressed that the signing of the memorandum did not mean that the fight against the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terror groups would end.
The memorandum will remain in effect for six months and could be automatically extended for another six months.