Syrian Army Not Returning Fire at Russian Request After Damascus Shelled

Sputnik News

15:45 28.02.2016(updated 16:30 28.02.2016)

The Syrian army, following a request from the Russian center on reconciliation, did not return fire after Damascus was shelled Saturday from the regions of Ghuta and Jobar, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Sunday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to the statement, the Syrian capital of Damascus was shelled six times on Saturday morning from the regions of eastern Ghuta and Jobar, where the so-called 'moderate opposition' is stationed.

'The Syrian government troops did not return fire, upon the request of the Russian center on reconciliation,' the statement read.

A ceasefire between Syrian government and rebel forces that entered its second day is largely holding, the head of Russia's ceasefire monitoring center at the Hmeymim airbase in Latakia said Sunday.

On Wednesday, Russian servicemen started their work at a coordination center for reconciliation in Syria's Latakia province at the Hmeymim airbase.

Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria on February 22. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on Saturday Damascus time (22:00 GMT on Friday).

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2268 endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria on Friday, shortly before the ceasefire came into force. The cessation of hostilities does not apply to designated terrorist organizations operating in Syria, including Daesh and the Nusra Front, a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaeda.

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