Russian MoD Says Fighting in 34 Population Areas in Syria Stopped

Sputnik News

12:18 27.02.2016(updated 16:30 27.02.2016)

The fighting in 34 Syrian towns and villages has been stopped, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to the ministry's representative, Russian Air Forces have coordinated efforts with Syrian agencies handling the ceasefire. The Russian Defense Ministry also said that in accordance with the ceasefire terms the Syrian Army received control over three towns.

'We are fulfilling our obligations on implementing the ceasefire,' Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko told reporters.

'Although it does not mean that Daesh or Nusra Front terrorists may breath freely. We are in control of the situation all across Syria,' the ministry's representative said.

The Russian Defense Ministry added that 70 aircraft are monitoring the ceasefire in Syria with the assistance of recoinnassance aircraft, surveillance satellites and other intelligence methods.

Over two days 2.5 tons of humanitarian aid was delivered to the Syrian localities of Homs and Latakia which signed the ceasefire agreement, the ministry's representative added. At the same time, the ministry is working to ensure that 47 more towns and villages in Hama, Homs, Damascus and Deraa will sign the ceasefire deal.

'Humanitarian aid is being delivered to the areas supporting the ceasefire agreement. Over the past two days only over 2.5 tons of aid was delivered to Kattina (Homs province) and a town in the province of Latakia,' Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko told reporters.

The cessation of hostilities does not apply to terrorist groups operating in Syria, such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front.

On Monday, the United States and Russia, the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), announced a plan for a ceasefire between the warring parties in Syria to go into effect on Saturday, February 27. The agreement has been approved by the other 17 members of the ISSG.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with the country's government fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, including Islamic State (Daesh), which is outlawed in many countries including the United States and Russia.

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