BEIRUT, February 29. /TASS/. Syria’s army has regained control over a road to Aleppo in the country’s north recapturing from the Islamic State terrorist group a strategically important Khanasir town in the southeast of the province, the SANA news agency reported on Monday.

"Syrian army units in cooperation with local self-defense units restored security in Khanasir settlement and also control over Tall el-Hammam heights in the Aleppo province," the report said.

Mine clearance effort is underway in the area and on part of the road.

Khanasir, previously captured by terrorists, is a major town on the road to Aleppo that government forces use to get to the province’s center.

Ceasefire in Syria

The ceasefire in Syria hammered out by Moscow and Washington last week came into force at midnight local time on February 27. An hour before the ceasefire became effective the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to support the cessation of hostilities. The document drafted by Russia and the United States was supported by all 15 member-states of the UNSC.

UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said 97 armed groups agreed to ceasefire. The ceasefire is to be applied to all parties to the Syrian conflict but for Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) and Jabhat an-Nusra (both are banned in Russia) "or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council." Airstrikes on them will be continued.

In the follow-up of the joint statement by the Russian and US leaders issued on February 22, a special Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Sides was set up at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria’s Latakia. Currently, 61 Russian officers are working at the Center.

The Center aims to assist armed groupings in Syria in concluding ceasefire agreements, maintain the truce regime, control its observance and organize the delivery of humanitarian cargoes to civilians.