Total of 1,238 Settlements Have Joined Syrian Ceasefire

Within the last 24 hours, truce agreements have been reached with seven settlements in Syria.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The number of settlements that have joined the cessation of hostilities in war-torn Syria has increased to 1,238, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday.

"Within the last 24 hours, truce agreements have been reached with representatives of seven settlements in Latakia [1], Damascus [3] and Hama [3] provinces, bringing the total number of settlements that have joined the ceasefire to 1,238," the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website.

According to the document, negotiations on joining ceasefire regime have continued with field commanders of armed opposition units operating in Damascus, Homs, Hama, Quneitra, and Aleppo provinces.

Russian representatives in the Russian-Turkish commission on the Syrian truce have registered six violations of the ceasefire regime over the past 24 hours.

"The Russian part of the joint Russian-Turkish commission on issues related to violations of the Joint Agreement has registered 6 violations over the past 24 hours in Latakia [4] and Hama [2] provinces," the ministry's Center for Syrian reconciliation said in the daily bulletin.

"The Turkish side has also registered 6 violations: one in Aleppo, one in Hama, one in Daraa, one in Homs, and two in Damascus provinces," the bulletin said.

According to the document, the Russian side cannot confirm any violations registered by Turkey.

In late December, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a Russian-Turkish resolution on a ceasefire regime in Syria, as well as on holding political talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups in Astana, Kazakhstan in January 2017. A day earlier, a nationwide ceasefire between Syrian government troops and several opposition factions came into force. Russia and Turkey serve as guarantors of the deal that paves the way for negotiations between the warring parties.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia.