Syrian army extends 'regime of silence' state near Damascus

The Syrian army announced on Sunday that it has extended the state of "regime of silence" near capital Damascus for additional 24 hours, according to the state news agency SANA.

"The regime of silence is being extended for another 24 hours to deter the pretexts of some of the terrorist groups to target civilians," Xinhua quoted a military statement as saying.

The Syrian army announced on Friday that a "regime of silence" state will be observed in hotspots near the capital Damascus and the northwestern province of Latakia after midnight.

"In order to uphold the agreed-upon cessation of hostilities system, a state of regime of silence will be observed on Saturday in areas in the Eastern Ghouta east of Damascus and the northern countryside of Latakia," the army said in a statement.

The army statement said this pacification system will continue for 24 hours in east of Damascus and 72 hours north of Latakia.

The aim of it, the army continued, is to cut the road before the armed groups, which are trying to continue the state of tension and instability.

Also on Friday, Russia and the US have reportedly agreed to enhance the cessation of hostilities deal in northern Latakia and suburbs of Damascus.

Meanwhile, some rebel groups in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus said they refuse the "partial truce."

Still, the northern province of Aleppo, which is witnessing an extreme state of violence and constant shelling, was not included in the deal.

On Sunday, SANA said six people were killed and 40 others wounded by the rebels' shelling on government-controlled areas in west of Aleppo.

The oppositional Syrian Observatory for Human Rights placed the death toll of the last nine days in Aleppo at over 250 civilians.

--IANS

sku/