Ramadan no barrier to terror groups shelling of Aleppo residential areas & army positions

Despite the holy season of Ramadan having begun, terrorists in Syria continue delivering indiscriminate intense fire on Syrian troops, Kurdish militia and residential quarters of the city of Aleppo, using everything in their vast arsenal of artillery.

“The number of victims among the civilians is only growing,” reports the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of opposing sides in the Syrian Arab Republic.

In Aleppo province, “terrorists of Al-Nusra Front have performed strikes with MLRS and mortars against Karasy and al-Hamra inhabited areas, Sheikh Maqsood, Hamdaniya, Meidan, al-Halidyah, al-Amriyah quarters and Al-Nayrab airport in the city of Aleppo,” the center reports.

According to the center, Aleppo’s district of Makanis al-Duvairi has suffered a massive artillery strike delivered from the village of Kafr Hamrah, northwest of Aleppo.

“Long-lasting shelling was conducted using MLRS systems, artillery, mortars and anti-aircraft guns,” the center said.

Although the holy for all Muslims season of Ramadan has begun on Monday, terrorist groups continue violation of the ceasefire agreement that came into force on February 27.

Neither the Russian nor Syrian Air Forces have delivered any airstrikes against those opposition armed formations which respect the ceasefire regime and have informed the Russian and American Centers for Reconciliation about their location.

This does not include positions of Al-Nusra Front (an Al-Qaeda offshoot in Syria), Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) or other formations considered terrorist by the United Nations Security Council.

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Syrian government forces and its anti-terrorist coalition units have continued fighting Al-Nusra Front and IS fighters across the country, securing strategic points in Homs countryside.

The Syrian Army, backed by Russian airstrikes, has carried out assault operations against IS positions as battle is on for the town of Tabqa, 40km west of the city of Raqqa.

Russian Air Force planes have destroyed four terrorist-controlled illegal oil production facilities located in the Raqqa and Homs provinces, the center reports.

Moscow will provide "the most active" air support for Syrian ground troops in and around Aleppo to prevent terrorists from seizing it, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Monday.

“We will decide on how our air forces should act, depending on the situation,” Lavrov said in a media conference following talks with his Finnish counterpart. “This will not be a surprise for the Americans.”

The Russian side reports that three areas of Latakia province have been shelled by Al-Nusra Front fighters. The group has also been active in Idlib and Hama provinces.

Overall, 136 municipalities are now taking part in the truce after a total of 60 fighting cells signed the ceasefire regime. However, it excludes internationally-recognized terror groups such as IS, Al-Nusra Front and Al-Qaeda, reports the Russian Centre for Reconciliation.