BEIRUT (Sputnik) – The Syrian Army has the right to respond to any violations of the ceasefire, which came into force in the country on Saturday, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari said.
Speaking at the UN Security Council on Friday, Jaafari stressed the importance of cutting off support to terrorists operating in Syria and "confirmed the right of our [Syrian government] forces to a response in case of any violation of the UN Security Council decision on the cessation of hostilities."
Jaafari emphasized that the Syrian government forces will continue fighting against terrorists, particularly members of the Islamic State (ISIL, also known as Daesh) and al-Nusra Front (Jabhat al-Nusra) groups.
He singled out the Russia-US agreement on the ceasefire in Syria as "an important step" on the path of a political resolution of the Syrian conflict.
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria on Friday, demanding that all parties strictly comply with the agreement.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting against numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as ISIL, which is banned in a range of countries, including Russia and the United States.
