Terrorist groups breach cessation of hostilities agreement 5 more times in last 24 hours

Lattakia – The Russian coordination center said that the cessation of hostilities agreement was breached by terrorist groups five times during the last 24 hours, raising the total number of breaches to 694 since the agreement came into effect, SANA reported.

The Russian center, based in Hmeimim airbase, said in a statement Monday that terrorists of the so- called Jaish al-Islam targeted with mortar rounds a number of military positions in Damascus countryside.

The cessation of hostilities agreement, which came into effect on 27 February 2016, does not cover ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra or other groups designated as terrorist organizations by the UN Security Council.

The total number of towns that have announced joining the agreement reached 157, the center added.

The Russian center affirmed that groups affiliated to the terrorist organization of Jabhat al-Nusra renewed their attempts to foil the truce, announced yesterday, by shelling Handarat town, Nairab airport and neighborhoods of al-Sheikh Maqsoud, al-Zahera and al-Khalediya in Aleppo, while other terrorist groups targeted Ain Al-

Qantara, Ako and Talat Rasha towns in Lattakia countryside as well as Marj al-Sultan and al- Baliliya in Damascus countryside, and a military position in Quneitra countryside.

On the other hand, the statement noted that the Russian center delivered five tons of humanitarian aid to locals of Tal Salhab town in Hama countryside, while a Russian plane dropped a shipment of international-provided humanitarian aid weighing 17 tons over the ISIS besieged Deir Ezzor city.