Leaders of Syria’s opposition ask Russia’s defense ministry to protect them from IS
The defense ministry is ready to provide them needed help, Head of the Russian truce center in Syria told
© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS Archive
KHMEIMIM
AIR BASE, March 5. /TASS/. The leaders of Syria’s opposition who
signed ceasefire agreements are asking Russia’s Defense Ministry to
protect them from militants of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS
– outlawed in Russia) and the defense ministry is ready to provide
them needed help, Head of the Russian truce center in Syria
Lieutenant General Sergey Kuralenko told reporters on Saturday.
ICRC
praises Russia’s role in delivering humanitarian aid to Syria
In
the first days of the center’s work, opposition leaders asked
Russia for security guarantees and protection from Syrian
governmental bodies as a crucial condition for the truce. But in
recent days the situation changed drastically, the general said.
“They
are asking us to provide their security and defend them from
militants of the ISIS group and other terrorist organizations
announcing a manhunt for the opposition figures who had signed
ceasefire agreements,” Kuralenko said.
“From
our part, we will help ensure security of the leaders of the Syrian
opposition units and heads of local administrations who signed
agreements to end fighting and to start the reconciliation process,”
he said.
Kuralenko
said that by Saturday specialists of the Russian center in Latakia
had held 23 meetings with representatives of different opposition
groups and political forces.
“During
even this short period of time we have noticed drastic changes in the
process of the talks,” the Russian general added.
Russian
humanitarian aid delivered to two Syrian settlements
On
February 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President
Barack Obama adopted a joint statement on the cessation of
hostilities in Syria on February 27, obliging both sides to influence
different political forces in the country to achieve a ceasefire.
The
statement points out that the cessation of hostilities is to be
applied to all parties to the Syrian conflict but for Daesh (the
Arabic acronym for Islamic State) and Jabhat al-Nusra (both are
banned in Russia) “or other terrorist organizations designated by
the UN Security Council.” The strikes on these groups will be
continued.
On
February 23, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the creation of a
coordination center at the Russian Khmeimim air base with the aim to
reconcile the warring sides within Syria. The center was set up in
line with agreements reached by Russia and the United States to
facilitate the negotiations between the Syrian government and
opposition and to organize humanitarian deliveries.
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