Agreement Reached on Establishing Third De-Escalation Zone in Northern Homs

MOSCOW– The Russian Defense Ministry announced that an agreement has been reached on establishing a third de-escalation zone which includes 84 towns in the northern countryside of Homs.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov stressed that a cessation of hostilities in the third zone with a population of more than 147,000 people came into force at midday on Thursday, noting that the ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations are excluded from the agreement, according to SANA.

 He added that the agreement provides for expelling all factions and groups affiliated to those two terrorist organizations and reopening part of Homs-Hama highway.

Konashenkov stated that the Russian military police will set up 2 checkpoints in the areas of Har Banafsah and al-Dweir and 3 observation posts in al-Hmeirat, Qubaiybat and Tal Omari.

He pointed out that “military police was entrusted with the tasks of separating the opposing sides, monitoring the implementation of the cessation of hostilities and ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as medical and casualty evacuation”

“All the sick and wounded people will be provided with an opportunity to undergo medical treatment either at the Russian military hospital or Syrian hospitals,” Konashenkov noted.