MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia and the United States reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Syria on February 22. The accord took effect on February 27, with the ceasefire generally holding across the country despite reported minor violations.
"Ceasefire will be always having spoilers, and you will see many more in the future and much worth than these. We still have Daesh, ISIS [Islamic State] and Al-Nusra, who are out of it [ceasefire agreement] and they are not happy. But you will also hopefully see, and that's what we are working on, the two guarantors — Russia and America, and through them those who are in contact with them to try to contain incidents, so they don't become epidemical," de Mistura said in an interview with the France24 television channel.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as Islamic State, which is banned in several countries, including Russia.
