MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Shoigu notified President Vladimir Putin that Russia established a direct communication channel with Turkey, a guarantor of compliance with the latest ceasefire deal and particularly of control over compliance.
"The crux of this control is that organizations that are not ending combat operations are moving into the realm of terrorist [groups], and the actions against them in all other territories apply as they do against Daesh [Islamic State] and Jabhat al-Nusra [Fatah al-Sham]," Shoigu said.
He said a total of three documents had been signed, the first of which is between the Syrian government and the armed opposition on the ceasefire in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. The second document is a set of measures to monitor the ceasefire regime, and the third is a statement of readiness to start peace negotiations.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also said that seven groups that signed a ceasefire agreement in Syria comprise the core and the main fighting force of the armed opposition.
"The total number of troops — more than 60,000 fighters. The most influential commanders of seven opposition formations took part in the negotiations," Shoigu specified.
The defense minister added that the seven armed formations control the bulk of the opposition forces' manpower, artillery and tanks.
"In other words, these groups in fact constitute the core, the main forces of the armed opposition?" Putin asked, an assessment confirmed by the defense minister.
Shoigu stressed that talks were also conducted with the Syrian government, leading to the ability to reconcile positions and sign documents.
