The Russian forces that reached the Syrian south and the Eastern Ghouta are preparing to deploy their checkpoints and monitor the truce
Cross sources informed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the Russian forces that arrived in Smad area in the eastern countryside of Daraa, Daraa city and the northern countryside of Quneitra countryside haven’t set up checkpoints yet, but they prepare for deployment on the contact lines and establishment of checkpoints to monitor the application of the ceasefire and the following steps related to the Russian – American – Jordanian agreement, and reliable sources also confirmed that the Russian forces arriving at the outskirts of the Eastern Ghouta, haven’t also set any of their checkpoints and haven’t been deployed on the contact lines in the Eastern Ghouta after they arrived to the area.
Where the SOHR published day before yesterday that it learned from reliable sources that it is expected to deploy Russian military police forces to the contact lines between the factions operating in the Eastern Ghouta and the regime forces and their allied militiamen, in order to ensure full observance of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, sources confirmed that most of the Russian soldiers deployed are Russian Muslims who were brought successively by the Russian forces earlier. This step comes as part of an agreement similar to the Russian-American-Jordanian agreement in the southern Syria, which includes the Provinces of Daraa, Al-Quneitra and Al-Suwaidaa and which came into force on the 9th of July 2017.
The SOHR published early February 2017 news about a Russian attempt to deploy its forces to contact lines in the Eastern Ghouta and east of Damascus after opening a crossing from Al-Wafedin Camp area for the civilians to cross to the regime-controlled areas in Rif Dimashq and Damascus through Al-Wafedin Camp area which is adjacent to Douma city. This came then as a step towards opening other crossings through other areas that connect the Eastern Ghouta, which is besieged by the regime forces, with the regime-controlled areas in the Eastern Ghouta then to Damascus. Such crossings allow civilians to pass through and exit villages and towns in the Eastern Ghouta. Russian then tried to sponsor a settlement and reconciliation process that would include Douma city and other areas in the Eastern Ghouta in addition to preventing the regime forces from entering the areas that remained under the control of the factions in the Eastern Ghouta, whom the Russians tried to convince previously to join the reconciliation process after settling the situation and reaching a reconciliation in Daria, Khan Al-Shih, Muadamiyat Al-Sham, the western part of Rif Dimashq, Al-Tal city, Qudsaya and Al-Hameh towns in Damascus, and Wadi Barada in the northwestern part of Rif Dimashq.
Lattakia Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:: areas of the Caucasus hill and other places in Burj al-Teffahiyyeh and areas in the Kurdish mountains in the northern countryside of Lattakia, have witnessed shelling by the regime forces, which caused material damage, and no information about casualties.