FILE IMAGE: Russian Military Police service members are in Syria
On June 3, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria announced in an official statement that the Russian Military Police had established observation posts in the newly liberated towns of Rastan, Kafer-Laha, Talbiseh, Zaafarana, Kharet-Tukman and Qasiri-Qarabesi in the northern Homs countryside and the southern Hama countryside.
The establishment of these Russian observation posts is a part of the reconciliation agreement, which was reached on May 2. Under the agreement, the Russian Military Police is supposed to stay in the northern Homs countryside and the southern Hama countryside for at least 6 months.
In a related development, the pro-government blog al-Masdar News reported that the Homs-Hama highway will be reopened for civilian traffic next week. The reopening of the this strategic highway was among the main points in the reconciliation agreement.
According to Syrian pro-government activists, the reconciliation agreement allowed thousands of militants to drop their weapons and return to their civilian life, so far. Moreover, the northern Homs countryside and the southern Hama countryside are also witnessing calm for the first time in seven years.
