De Mistura: The cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria is largely holding

Geneva, SANA – UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura affirmed on Thursday that the cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria is largely holding but there are some exceptions.

The Hmeimim-based Russian Coordination Center monitored on the 9th of January 14 breaches of the cessation of hostilities committed by the armed groups, including 8 in Hama and 6 in Damascus, Lattakia and Aleppo.

According to Reuters, de Mistura said that he understood that the U.N. would be invited for talks in Astana on Jan. 23, aimed at deepening the cessation of hostilities and forming some broad political ideas, but there had been no formal invitations or
confirmed dates.

He pointed out that humanitarian aid is still not getting in to besieged areas where food is running out, adding that 23 buses and Syrian drivers, used in recent evacuations, were being stopped from leaving the villages of al-Fouaa and Kefraya in Idleb province by armed groups.

He added that he is concerned about the water crisis in Damascus.

M.al-Frieh/H. Said

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