Militants Violate Ceasefire in Aleppo Province, Syrian Army Retaliates

The Command Joint Operations Headquarters of the Syrian Army in Aleppo announced that the ceasefire had been disrupted in the southern part of the province in a statement Wednesday.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) – The Syrian Army has renewed military activity against armed groups that are regularly violating the internationally-brokered ceasefire agreement in the south of Aleppo, the Command Joint Operations Headquarters of the Syrian Army in Aleppo said in a statement Wednesday.

“The Syrian Army and its allies have begun completing military tasks and are conducting gunfire against armed groups, their command points, and areas where they are gathering in the south of Aleppo province,” the statement reads. 

Since 2011, Syria has been mired in a civil war, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting a number of militant groups and opposition factions. The conflict has significantly damaged the country's economy and caused a humanitarian disaster.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), 6.6 million Syrians are internally displaced, while over 4.8 million have fled the country amid violence.

A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force on February 27 across Syria. It was supported by Damascus, as well as by dozens of opposition groups on the ground. The Islamic State (also known as Daesh) and the Nusra Front (both outlawed in Russia) were not part of the deal.