PRESS RELEASE

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Russia Announces New De-Escalation Zone Agreement

Aug. 3, 2017 (EIRNS)—Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov announced, this morning, that agreement was reached a third de-escalation zone in Homs province, reports Tass.

"On July 31, a new round of talks between representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry and the moderate Syrian opposition was held in Cairo,"

he said.

"The meeting’s participants reached an agreement concerning the functioning of the third de-escalation zone north of the city of Homs, which will include 84 settlements with a population of more than 147,000."

The cease fire was to have begun at noon today, local time. As with the other zones, ISIS and Al Nusra are specifically excluded, and the opposition groups signing on to the agreement are required to drive those groups out of the areas that they control.

Konashenkov said that Russian military police will have the task of separating the two sides, and will establish two checkpoints along the line of contact north of Homs as well as three observation posts.

"All the sick and wounded will be provided with an opportunity to undergo medical treatment either at the Russian military hospital or Syrian hospitals,"

Konashenkov said. "The opposition, in turn, will unblock the section of the Homs-Hama highway passing through the de-escalation zone."