Latakia and Aleppo come under shelling by illegal armed groups over last 24 hours

Over the past 24 hours, militants have violated the ceasefire several times in Syria’s Latakia region and in some districts of the city of Aleppo, Lieutenant General Vladimir Savchenko, the chief of the Russian center for reconciliation of conflicting sides in Syria, said on Friday.

"In spite of the cessation of hostilities regime, violations are ongoing by illegal armed groups operating in the Idlib de-escalation zone. For example, in the past 24 hours, shelling was documented in the populated localities of Safsada (twice), Iqqo, Rois-Almilq, Ruyset-Iskander in Latakia, the western outskirts and Castello districts in the city of Aleppo," he said.

Savchenko added that in the past 24 hours, the Russian center for reconciliation of conflicting sides distributed 1.29 tonnes of aid consisting of 300 food kits and 300 pieces of warm clothing in Kodna, Quneitra province.

"In the Sahra Awad district of the city of Aleppo, a humanitarian mission was organized when people in need received one tonne of fresh bread. In Aleppo’s districts - al-Suryan, al-Mualimin, al-Jebel, Balalat, and al-Kalas - 15 families, who are in a dire social situation, were given 15 food and hygiene kits," Savchenko said.

Apart from that, 120 basketball uniforms and 40 balls donated by Russia’s basketball club Lokomotiv Kuban were given to children at Aleppo’s stadium.

The Russian reconciliation center continues to fulfill assigned tasks after the completion of the military campaign in Syria. The center’s officers regularly travel around the country's liberated areas to assess the humanitarian situation. The main efforts of the Russian military are now focused on assistance to the refugees returning to their homes and evacuation of civilians from de-escalation zones.