"An increase in number of attacks by Islamic State terrorists near Palmyra has been registered. Units of government troops have repelled the attacks by militants who attempted to take control of strategically important hills around the city. The terrorists have suffered heavy casualties," the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website.
The Russian Defense Ministry also reported that the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation at the Hmeymim airbase registered a total of seven violations of the ceasefire regime in Syria in the last 24 hours.
"The cessation of hostilities in Syria has been respected in most of Syrian provinces. However, a total of seven violations of the ceasefire regime have been registered, including six in the Damascus province, and one in the Aleppo province," the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website.
"Within last 24 hours, fire with multiple launch rocket systems, mortars and small arms have been performed against Ashrafiyah, al-Muhafaza, al-Khalidiyah, Sheikh Maqsood, Salah al-Din sectors and al-Nairab airport in Aleppo," the ministry said.
"Within the past 24 hours, truce agreements have been achieved with the leaders of two settlements in the Homs and the Daraa provinces bringing the total number of settlements that have joined ceasefire to 103," the ministry noted.
