Russian Defense Ministry: Increasing breaches by armed groups due to US not separating “moderate opposition” from al-Nusra

Moscow, SANA – The Russian Defense Ministry voiced concern over the rise in the number of breaches of the truce regime committed by armed groups in Syria.

Russian General Staff official Viktor Poznikhir said in a press conference on Thursday that the increasing number of breaches committed by armed groups in Syria, which reached 45 breaches in the last 24 hours, is cause for concern, and data from observation shows that armed groups shelled residential areas in Aleppo city and several positions in Lattakia.

Poznikhir said this increase in breaches is directly linked to the fact that the American side hasn’t separated the “moderate opposition” from Jabhat al-Nusra, adding that Washington still hasn’t provided Russia with any precise data on the location of “moderate opposition” and their numbers in Syria, which makes it difficult to fight terrorists and deliver humanitarian aid, as the material sent by the Americans consists only of a general list of armed groups under their control without any information about the areas where they are or the names of their field leaders.

He also noted that the Russian and Syrian air forces have stopped targeting positions of “opposition” groups and that the Syrian army has started withdrawing tanks, armed vehicles, and artillery to the agreed-upon area in al-Castello area north of Aleppo, with Poznikhir stressing that the Russian-American agreement stipulated for both the Syrian army and the armed groups to demilitarize in al-Castello area.

On Wednesday night, gunmen torched a checkpoint set up on al-Castello road for representatives of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), injuring two of the guards stationed there.

Hazem Sabbagh

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