Ceasefire in Syria Holding Despite Jabhat Fatah al Sham Provocations

The nationwide ceasefire regime in Syria is observed in general despite provocations from the Jabhat Fatah al Sham terrorists (previously known as the al-Nusra Front), the Russian General Staff said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The ceasefire regime in Syria, brokered by Russia and Turkey, came into force on December 30.

"The joint Russian-Turkish commission on the Syrian truce monitors ceasefire round-the clock. Despite frequent provocations by Nusra Front [Jabhat Fatah al Sham] terrorists against the government forces and armed opposition, the ceasefire regime is holding, in general," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, the chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, said at a news briefing in Moscow.

Almost 2,300 militants ceased fighting in the Damascus province, those disagreed with the ceasefire were given the opportunity to leave with their families for Idlib, he said.

"As a result, 2,274 militants stopped the fighting. The vast majority of them laid down their arms and returned to peaceful life. The militants who did not want to remain in the settlements that had joined the ceasefire, were given the opportunity to travel to the province of Idlib together with their families," Rudskoy said.