Syrian opposition group Failak ar-Rahman joins ceasefire
The Russian Defense Ministry reports all of the moderate opposition’s detachments in East Ghouta joined the truce
MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry and the Syrian opposition’s Failak ar-Rahman grouping have signed a ceasefire deal, the ministry reported on Friday.
Earlier, on July 22, Russia’s Defense Ministry signed a similar ceasefire deal in Cairo without another large grouping, Jaysh al-Islam, operating in East Ghouta.
"Today, on August 18, 2017, representatives of the Defense Ministry of Russia and the Syrian opposition’s large grouping Failak ar-Rahman have signed an agreement in the city of Geneva (the Swiss Confederation), under which the grouping will join the ceasefire from 21:00 Moscow time in the de-escalation zone of East Ghouta (Damascus, Syria)," according to the statement obtained by TASS.
The agreement signed in Geneva stipulates that the grouping will cease hostilities and refrain from shelling any diplomatic missions in Damascus, including the Russian embassy.
"During a meeting with Russia’s Defense Ministry, representatives of Failak ar-Rahman confirmed their readiness to conduct the irreconcilable struggle against terrorists of the ISIL [the former name of the Islamic State terrorist organization] and Jabhat al-Nusra [both organizations are outlawed in Russia], and also proposed measures for improving the humanitarian situation in the areas of the de-escalation zone controlled by this grouping," the Defense Ministry said.
"Therefore, Russia’s Defense Ministry has managed through negotiations to involve in the ceasefire in the East Ghouta de-escalation zone all the moderate opposition’s groupings operating there," the ministry said.