On Continuing Violations by Assad Forces and Russian Air Force of the Cease-fire Agreement

Press Release

Media Department

Syrian Coalition

July 10, 2017

The Assad regime forces, backed by Russia aerial cover, are trying to advance in the southern Syrian Desert, claiming the area is not covered by the ceasefire agreement brokered recently by the United States and Russia, and which went into force on Sunday, July 9.

The Syrian Coalition stresses that the areas that are currently being targeted by the Assad regime and the Russian air force are completely under the control of the Free Syrian Army. The FSA groups liberated these areas from the ISIS extremist group organization following offensives launched in early 2017 across eastern rural Swaidaa and the Syrian Desert, including Tal Makhoul hill and the “Scientific Research Platoon.”

The Coalition condemns any attacks or attempts to advance in these areas under the pretext of fighting ISIS as it warns the parties that brokered the agreement of the consequences of using the agreement to justify attacks on the FSA groups. The Coalition stresses the need to force the Assad regime to stop its attacks in the area and withdraw its forces immediately from the areas they have advanced onto since the agreement went into force.