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23May16


Four ceasefire violations reported in Syria in past day — Russian Defense Ministry


The ceasefire regime has been generally observed in most of Syria's provinces, with four violations reported in the province of Damascus in the past day, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its regular daily news bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry's website on Monday.

"Units of the Jaysh al-Islam group which aligns itself with the opposition conducted mortar and firearms fire at the Syrian army's positions near the settlements of Arbil, Douma, Zibdeen and Damascus' district of Basatin Abu Jarash," the center said.

According to the bulletin, no air strikes were delivered by the Russian air group and the Syrian air force at armed opposition group which have declared cessation of hostilities and referred their coordinates to the Russian or U.S. reconciliation centers.

"A truce agreement was signed with representatives of one settlement in the province of Quneitra. The number of settlements joining the process of reconciliation has reached 115," the bulletin says.

Talks on joining the regime of cessation of hostilities are continued with field commanders of armed opposition groups in the provinces of Aleppo and Daraa. "The number of armed groups that declared their commitment to the ceasefire terms remained unchanged - 59," as follows from the news bulletin.

A ceasefire regime brokered by Russia and the United States on February 22 officially came into effect in Syria at midnight Damascus time on February 27. This does not cover terrorist groups such as Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, both outlawed in Russia, and other groups recognized as terrorist by the United Nations Security Council.

An hour before the ceasefire came into force, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution in support cessation of hostilities in Syria. The document was initiated by Russia and the United States and won support from all the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council.

Humanitarian aid

Russia's center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria reported in its regular daily news bulletin on Monday about deliveries of humanitarian cargoes to Syrian citizens and about new provocations committed by terrorists in Syria.

"More humanitarian convoys are being formed for Syrian citizens," the center said in the bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministry's website. "A batch of bread was delivered to the settlement of Tel Al-Nam in the province of Aleppo. A total of 36.2 tons of food received from the United Nations were dropped on parachute platforms from Russian planes to the city of Deir ez-Zor besieged by Islamic State terrorists."

Jabhat al-Nusra Terrorists Continue Provocations

Groups constituting the international terrorist organization Jabhat al-Nusra (outlawed in Russia) are continuing provocation aimed at disrupt the regime of cessation of hostilities, the Russian center said.

"During the day, fire was conducted from multiple missile launcher systems and mortars at the settlements of Handrat, Hailan, the Al-Nayrab airport and Aleppo's district of Sheikh Maksoud, Qaryat al-Ansari and Khalidiya," the bulletin says. "Jabhat al-Nusra leaders are finishing the formation of an offensive group of more than 6,000 gunmen near Aleppo to block the government forces in the city through an offensive from the south and to block the corridor to the city of Nubol in the north of Aleppo."

Armed Jabhat al-Nusra groups shelled the settlements of Ard al-Wata and Kinsibba in the province of Latakia, the settlement of Salamiyah in the province of Hama, the settlements of Marj al-Sultan and Bleliye in the province of Damascus. Government troops repelled Islamic State groups in the vicinity of the city of Palmyra in the province of Homs and took control of the dominant heights on Mount Jabal al-Mazar and Jabal Qal'at al-Khirr ridge, the bulletin says.

"Syrian government forces rebuffed a Jabhat al-Nusra counter-offensive near the settlement of Akch-Bayer in the north of the Latakia province," the document says. "In the province of Hama, government troops repelled Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists' attempts to seize an electricity plant located on Mount Al-Makhrouk. The loss of this facility feeding most of the province with electricity will be fraught with a humanitarian disaster for the population."

[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, 23May16]

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