Syrian Army Liberates 5.2 Square Miles From Daesh in Past 24 Hours

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Syrian government forces have liberated 8.5 square kilometers (3.3 square miles) from militants of the Daesh terror group (outlawed in Russia) over past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

"Within last 24 hours, the government troops have liberated 8.5 square kilometers. The government troops have liberated 3,958.5 square kilometers," the ministry’s Center for Syrian Reconciliation said in a daily bulletin.

The bulletin added that no ceasefire agreements had been signed by representatives of Syria's inhabited areas over the last 24 hours, with the total number of signed reconciliation agreements remaining at 1,464. However, the document added that negotiations on joining the ceasefire regime have continued among field commanders from detachments of armed opposition in Syria's provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Quneitra.

The number of armed formations, which had promised to observe the ceasefire regime in accordance to the Reconciliation Agreement dating February 27, 2016, remained 143.

The nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime was introduced on December 30, 2016, with Russia and Turkey as its guarantors. The UN Security Council passed a resolution in December supporting the effort. The ceasefire in Syria excludes terrorists operating in the country.