No less than 77 Breaches in 72 Hours since the Agreement Went into Effect, and Russian Forces Breaches the Agreement in Hama and Aleppo
SNHR has published the report: “26 Breaches on the Third Day of Ankara Ceasefire Agreement” which documents the breaches that were recorded in the first 72 hours following the commencement of Ankara Agreement. The report notes that breaches by Russian forces were recorded for the first time on Sunday 1 January 2017 in Aleppo and Hama governorate.
The report draws upon the monitoring and documentation processes in addition to speaking to survivors, victims’ families, or with eyewitnesses to some of the incidents.
The report sheds light on every breach committed by the parties that are bound by the truce agreement (Government forces, Russian forces, and armed opposition factions) in areas under the control of armed opposition factions and areas under a joint control (armed opposition factions and Fateh Al Sham Front). The report doesn’t include any combat operations in ISIS-held areas.
The report monitors 77 breaches; 68 breaches through combat operations and nine through arrest operations. 72 breaches were by the Syrian regime forces where most of these breaches took place in Homs governorate with 17 breaches recorded since the commencement of the agreement, followed by Damascus suburbs governorate that saw 15 breaches, and then Aleppo and Hama with 11 breaches each, while 10 breaches were recorded in Daraa governorate, and eight breaches were recorded in Idlib governorate. The report records five breaches by Russian forces including four in Aleppo whereas the fifth breach was recorded in Hama.
According to the report, these attacks resulted in the killing of three individuals (Two children and one opposition armed man)
The report stresses that all the breaches taking place on the first day were committed by the Syrian regime and its ally on the ground the Iranian regime, which the report considers to be the most affected by any political agreement that aim towards a comprehensive settlement. Furthermore, the report calls on the Russian regime, being a primary sponsor of the agreement, to apply pressure on the Syrian-Iranian regime in order to compel it seriously commit to the agreement’s provisions. Otherwise, the ceasefire will ultimately fail.
Also, the report emphasizes that Russian forces have to adhere to the agreement, and cease bombing civilians because any other breaches by the Russian forces, who should supposedly oversee the implementation of the agreement, will demolish the credibility of any future Russian sponsorship.