"Situation in the de-escalation zones is assessed as stable. Within last 24 hours, the Russian party of the Russia-Turkey Commission on violations of the Joint Agreement has registered 12 cases of firing in the provinces of Damascus (2), Hama (9), and Daraa (1). The Turkish party has registered 6 cases of ceasefire violations in the provinces of Hama (5), Aleppo (1)," the ministry's Сenter for Syrian reconciliation said in a daily bulletin.
The majority of the cases of indiscriminate shooting from small arms were registered in the areas under control of the Daesh and Nusra Front terrorist groups (both outlawed in Russia), the bulletin said.
According to the ministry, no new ceasefire agreements were signed over the past 24 hours, while the talks on joining the ceasefire regime continue with the armed opposition groups in the Aleppo, Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Quneitra provinces.
The total number of inhabited areas that have joined the reconciliation process remains 1,505, and the number of armed formations that have joined the ceasefire regime is 219.
Russia and Turkey are the guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime that came into force on December 30, 2016, and has been holding up in general, despite continued reports of violations. The UN Security Council passed a resolution in December 2016 supporting the effort.
Earlier in May, Russia, Turkey and Iran signed the memorandum on establishment of safe zones in the country as part of the Astana talks on Syrian settlement. The four zones include the northwestern Idlib province and parts of the neighboring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, the north of the central Homs province, Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, as well as southern Daraa and Quneitra regions.
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