Reconciliation agreements signed with 6 more Syrian settlements — Russian Defense Ministry

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Reconciliation agreements were signed during the day with representatives of six more settlements in Syria, the Russian Center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its regular daily bulletin posted on the Russian Defense Ministry’s official website on Monday.

"During the day, reconciliation agreements were signed with representatives of six settlements, including three — in the province of Hama and three — in the province of Latakia. The number of settlements joining the reconciliation process has reached 967," the center said.

Talks on joining the regime of cessation of hostilities were continued with field commanders of illegal armed groups in the provinces of Homs, Hama, Aleppo and al-Quneitra. "The number of illegal armed groups that declared their commitment to the ceasefire terms remains unchanged — 70," the center said.

Shelling by illegal armed groups

A total of 50 instances of shelling by illegal armed groups were reported in Syria during the day, including 24 in the province of Aleppo, 19 in the province of Damascus, two in the province of Hama, two in the province of Latakia, two in the province of al-Quneitra, and one in the province of Daraa.

"In the province of Damascus, armed groups of the Jaysh al-Islam organization, which affiliates itself with the opposition, shelled from mortars and firearms the settlements of Bloudan and Kafer Batna, a highway near the settlement of Douma, an area near the Al-Abbasyyin stadium in the settlement of Jobar," the center reported. "Armed groups of the Free Syrian Army shelled Aleppo’s district of Salah al-Din and the settlement of Bayada in the province of Aleppo."

Ahrar al-Sham groups shelled the settlement of Rashah and positions of government troops on Mount Abu Ali in the province of Latakia. "Armed groups of the terrorist organizations Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and Islamic State (both outlawed in Russia) shelled from multiple missile launcher systems, artillery systems, mortars, man-portable anti-tank grenade launchers and firearms the settlement of Bakirtaya in the province of Aleppo and Aleppo’s districts of Arian, Leramon, Binyamin, 3000, Sheikh Said, Hai al-Sheikh Maksoud, Hananu Shakiriy, Shahaba, Urkan, Mogambo, Khamidiya, Al-Salhine, areas near a water melon marketplace, a gas plant and a former military school," the bulletin says. "In the province of Damascus, terrorists shelled the settlements of Arbil, Hawsh Harabu, Hawsh Nasri, the al-Wafidin camp, the Ibn al-Walid hospital and a sports ground in the settlement of Jobar."

Paramilitary terrorist groups shelled the settlements of Soran and Maharda in the province of Hama, positions of government troops near height 1,222 in the province of al-Quneitra and the settlement of Busayr in the province of Daraa.

No air strikes were delivered by the Russian air group and the Syrian air force at armed opposition groups that have declared cessation of hostilities and informed the Russian or US reconciliation centers about their locations, as follows from the bulletin.

Russian reconciliation center

The Russian Defense Ministry declared the establishment of the reconciliation center on February 23. It is headquartered at the Hmeymim air base, Latakia province. The center was set up in line with agreements reached by Russia and the United States to facilitate the negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition and to organize humanitarian deliveries.