MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. A mortar shelling attack from the Turkey-controlled territory was reported on Friday morning in the Syrian Raqqa governorate, Alexander Karpov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said on Friday.
According to Karpov, agreements on the return of people to the cities of Al-Mualak, Jabel, and Seyda in the Raqqa governorate was reached with the mediation of the Russian reconciliation center. "At the same time, a mortar shelling attack from a territory controlled by the Turkish armed forces was reported from the vicinity of the settlement of Al Mualak at 11:41 a.m.," he said.
He also said that "heavy machinegun fire from the positions of pro-Turkish units stopped a civilian convoy heading to the settlement of Seyda."
The Russian reconciliation center calls on commanders of Turkish forces deployed in northern Syria to ensure possibilities for safe, voluntary and unimpeded return of civilians to their homes.
The Russian reconciliation center continues to fulfill assigned tasks after the completion of the military campaign in Syria. The center’s officers regularly travel around the country's liberated areas to assess the humanitarian situation. The main efforts of the Russian military are now focused on assistance to the refugees returning to their homes and evacuation of civilians from de-escalation zones.