Russian MoD Urges Damascus to Hold Talks With Opposition in Eastern Ghouta

The Russian Defense Ministry has called on Damascus to hold direct talks with the opposition in Eastern Ghouta on the evacuation of the sick.

The ministry further noted that only a few violations of the ceasefire regime in the East Ghouta suburb of Damascus have been registered recently.

"The Russian center for Syrian reconciliation continues to work actively to normalize the situation in the East Ghouta suburb of Damascus. At present, the violations of the cessation of hostilities regime there have turned into sporadic occurrences," the ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, the reconciliation center called on the Syrian government troops to comply with the agreements reached in Vienna on a complete ceasefire in East Ghouta and not to respond to provocations by armed groups that have not joined the accords."

READ MORE: Syrian Army Completes Operation, Restores Control in Western Ghouta — Reports

Eastern Ghouta is one of the de-escalation zones created under the agreement signed on May 4 during the Astana talks on Syrian reconciliation, brokered by Russia, Iran, and Turkey. The ceasefire has been extended since then.

The other safe zones include the northwestern province of Idlib and parts of neighboring Latakia province, Hama and Aleppo provinces, the north of the central province of Homs and certain parts in the country's southern provinces of Deraa and Quneitra.