CAIRO – Hostilities have declined by 94 percent in areas of Syria that implemented the agreement to reduce violence, signed by Russia and Iran – allies of the government of Damascus – and Turkey, supporter of the opposition, a British-based war monitor reported on Tuesday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the number of clashes and bombings have fallen in the first ten days of the pact implementation, in force in four parts of Syria.
These areas are Eastern Ghouta, the main opposition stronghold on the outskirts of Damascus; the north of the central province of Homs; the Idleb region and neighboring areas of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo; with southern points in Deraa and al-Quneitra.
The Observatory said the only exception was the town of al-Zalaqiat, north of Hama, where government forces launched a military operation in recent days.
This decrease in violence has been reflected in the number of deaths since the agreement entered into force on May 6.
During this time, at least seven civilians, 25 rebels and 20 government personnel have perished in the areas where there was a reduction of hostilities.
Military operations and bombings have continued at their usual pace in parts of Syria that have been left out of the agreement, and which are basically the regions controlled by the Islamic State terror organization.
According to the SOHR, at least 197 civilians have died in the ten days, as well as 67 IS fighters, 53 from the Syrian Democratic Forces – an armed alliance led by Kurdish militias – and 34 Syrian government personnel.
The peace negotiations for Syria between representatives of the government of Damascus and the opposition, under the auspices of United Nations special envoy Staffan de Mistura, are scheduled to resume in Geneva on Tuesday.
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