Fighting subsided in Syria on May 6 after a deal signed by government backers Russian Federation and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey to create four "de-escalation zones" began to take effect.
Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed in a memorandum signed on May 4 to establish four separate de-escalation zones in Syria after rounds of talks in Kazakhstan capital Astana. The wide array of rebel groups include some supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies.
United States and allied aircraft will be banned from flying over much of Syria as part of a deal struck by Iran, Russia and Turkey to foster a cease-fire in the Syrian war, a senior Russian diplomat said Friday.
The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, criticised the plan as vague and illegitimate.
Lavrentyev, whose remarks were carried by Russian news agencies, said USA -led coalition aircraft would be able to operate against the Islamic State group in specific areas, but the "de-escalation zones" were now closed to their flights.
A previous cease-fire agreement that went into effect on December 30 helped reduce overall violence in Syria for several weeks but eventually collapsed.
The Britain-based war monitoring group said government forces shelled the nearby towns of Kafr Zita and Latamneh. It also said it did not accept Iran as a guarantor of the deal. It provides for a ceasefire, rapid deliveries of humanitarian aid and the return of refugees after "de-escalation zones" are created across stretches of eight Syrian provinces.
But he stressed Russia's air force would continue striking militants from the Islamic State (IS) group elsewhere in Syria. The Western, Saudi-backed group said the deal lacks legitimacy and seeks to divide the country. Armed forces will man checkpoints and observation points to monitor violations and facilitate movement of civilians.
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The zones appear meant to halt conflict in specific areas between government forces and rebels, and would potentially be policed by foreign troops.
Lavrentyev said Turkey, Iran and Russian Federation have agreed on the possibility of allowing global observers in case there is "unanimity" on that issue.
The United States and Russian Federation will resume an airspace deconfliction agreement aimed at avoiding mid-air collisions, Reuters reported Saturday.
Russian Federation remains Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally while Turkey has backed the opposition in the conflict.
Rebels have expressed concerns that the deal is a prelude to a partitioning of Syria into spheres of influence.
The first and the largest safe zone in northern Syria will include the Idlib province and adjoining districts of Latakia, Aleppo and Hama with a total population of over 1 million, the ministry said on Friday, hours before the midnight implementation of the zones.
The U.S. and Russian Federation signed the memorandum in 2015 when Russian Federation began its air operations in the country.
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