Russian Defense Ministry: Armed groups breached truce regime 199 times

Lattakia, SANA – The Russian Defense Ministry affirmed on Saturday that armed groups breached the truce regime in Syria a total of 199 times since it came into force on September 12th.

First Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Department, Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir said that the armed groups continued to breach the truce regime, noting that 55 breaches have been observed during the past 24hours, with 27 breaches in Aleppo, 6 in Lattakia, 11 in Damascus, 7 in Hama, 2 in Homs, 1 in Daraa, and 1 in Quneitra, raising the total number to 199 breaches.

He noted that these breaches claimed the lives of 12 people including two children and injured more than 40 others, in addition to claiming the life of a female volunteer from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in Khan Arnaba in Quneitra, adding that the breaches and shootings committed by the armed groups prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid to Aleppo.

The Russian military official added that reconciliation agreements were reached in four towns, raising the total number of reconciliation agreements signed in Syria to 627 until now.

For his part, Head of the Russian Reconciliation Center, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko, warned that the armed groups have used the truce regime to restore their capabilities, regroup their ranks and increase their weapons and ammunition in order to launch attacks and seize new territories.

He stressed Russia’s keenness on informing the US of the armed groups’ continued breaches of the truce regime receiving no response from the latter, indicating that the US is not in control and not ready to take measures for forcing the armed groups affiliated to it to comply with the agreement.

Savchenko stated that the Syrian government guarantees safe entry of aid convoys, yet the safety of these convoys is still not guaranteed in the areas controlled by the armed groups.

The truce regime is applied across Syria for seven days as of 19:00 on September 12th 2016 and until 23:59 on September 18th, with the army reserving the right to respond decisively using all types of firepower to any breach by armed groups.

R. Raslan / Ghossoun / Hazem Sabbagh

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