General information on the application of measures for the reconciliation of opposing sides

In the course of last 24 hours, ceasefire agreements have been achieved with commanders of 5 armed formations with total staff up to 450 men active in vicinity of Mahajjah (Daraa province).

In total, 42 ceasefire application forms have been signed with leaders of armed groupings.

Total number of towns, which had joined the ceasefire agreements, remained 42 ones.

Six negotiations with religious leaders, representatives and administration of towns and areas in the provinces of Damascus, Aleppo and Quneitra have been held. The sides discussed upon issues concerning joining the ceasefire regime and returning back to peaceful life by members of opposition armed formations.

Results of ceasefire monitoring

In the course of last 24 hours, 7 ceasefire violations have been registered (Aleppo – 3, Latakia, Homs, Idlib, and Hama – by 1 in each).

Militants of Sultan Murad Brigade and Firqa 16 carried out 3 mortar attacks on Sheikh Maqsood (Aleppo).

Russian Aerospace Forces and Syrian Air Forces did not make strikes on armed formations, which follow ceasefire regime and informed the Russian or American Centres for reconciliation about their location.

Humanitarian aid to the population of Syria

Working session with representatives of the National Reconciliation Ministry of the Syrian Arab Republic on providing humanitarian aid to citizens of Ruheiba (Damascus province) took place in the Russian Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides.

The delegates made decision on sending Russian convoy with humanitarian cargos to Ruheiba.


Comment: Jan Egeland, an adviser to the UN’s special envoy to Syria, alleged that they could not deliver aid to 6 areas in Syria, because they could not receive government permission. Perhaps Egeland confused the “Syrian government” with Daesh, who are not known for opening their occupied territories to humanitarian agencies. (The Syrian government doesn’t restrict access to humanitarian aid.) But other than those problem areas, the UN has succeeded in delivering over 500 trucks’ worth of aid to 870,000 Syrians in 10 besieged areas (compared to none in 2015 – where was the UN then?).

One of those areas off limits to humanitarians, Deir Ezzor, was pamphleted by the Syrian air force with this message: “The moment of truth is here, the world is changing rapidly, the army is advancing. Think about yourself, the delay could cost you your life, hasten to surrender and save your lives and future.” All UN attempts so far to reach Deir Ezzor with aid have failed (all air-dropped pallets either missed or were damaged).

The Russians also made the moderate rebels an offer they really can’t refuse:

Tarek Ahmad, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), attended an outreach event of Syria’s political, religious and civil society figures at Russia’s Hmeimim air base on Tuesday where they were invited to play an active part in the reconciliation process by convincing rebels to join the ceasefire. “The Russian military commanders reassured that they are ready to provide to any rebel group, which is ready to sign the truce agreement, any support and help they may need whether it is food or medical supplies,” Ahmad said.

Ahmad said that the Russian military command had given party leaders, clerics and civil activists the green light to contact any rebel group in Syria on its behalf. “We will not ask them to disarm, we will ask them to test a ceasefire deal and offer them on Russia’s behalf all necessary support they may need,” the politician said, adding he hoped more groups would sign the truce in the coming weeks.

Ideally, all the rebel commanders would take the offer. But many will not. And the proposal was probably drafted with that in mind: those who refuse only expose themselves as having no interest in peace, the condition of the people in the areas they hold, and the political process that will determine Syria’s future.

Additional information

Destroyed infrastructure is being recovered in towns and villages, which had signed ceasefire agreements. Water and electrical energy supply systems are being recovered in Hbub al-Rih (Homs province).

Information about kidnapping of retired Colonel of the Syrian army Zaidan Al Nasirat, the head of reconciliation committee in Etbaa, by illegal armed groups headed by Mashoor Hassan Kanakri and Ziad Al Khariri on February 29 has proved to be true.

According to the Centre, Zaidan Al Nasirat was kept in prison of Busra al-Sham (al-Suwayda province) until March 7, 2016.

In the course of the last 24 hours, the Russian Centre for reconciliation has received 44 appeals. Most of appeals (34 ones) included requests for providing humanitarian aid and information about attacks.