Russian Military Keeping Peace along Demilitarized Zone on Syrian-Israeli Border

The town of Al-Rafid was the end point of the route coordinated with the UN, located close to the border with the Golan Heights occupied by Israel, TASS reported.

Along the way, the patrol provided security for repair crews, visited schools, hospitals, Russian military police posts and a center for pardoning militants and residents who cooperated with them, as well as those who lived on the territories controlled by them.

Deputy Commander of the Russian Forces in Syria Lieutenant General Sergei Kuralenko said that the patrol work was conducted in the southern part of the demilitarized zone and its route stretched up to the community of Maariah.

"Throughout this area, we delivered humanitarian supplies to the population that had suffered during the combat operations. We’re monitoring the observance of the agreement in accordance with the UN [Security Council] resolution to restrict weapons near the Bravo Line on Syria’s side. Thus, we’re supporting the UN body that is keeping a close watch on the reconciliation," he told journalists.

The Russian military police patrols inspected all routes along the Golan Heights where the UN forces are supposed to be carrying out missions - from the central to the southern part of the demilitarized zone, the lieutenant general said.

"We are confident that the UN patrols will follow in the footsteps of the Russian military police, after performing certain procedures. There have been no UN forces in this neck of the woods for more than six years, and today people see only Russian and Syrian flags here," Kuralenko said.

"I’m confident that our actions will ensure the completion of the tasks by UN forces in the central part of the demilitarized zone, as well as along its southern border. It can be said that, by accomplishing (our) mission in the community of Al-Rafid, as well as in the communities of Adra, Maariah, we paved the way for the UN forces," he noted. Once Russia and Syria’s efforts are completed and the UN flag emerges, peace will finally take root, the lieutenant general assured.

"The actions of the Russian military police and Russian officers have provided stability to the demilitarized zone and (the vicinity) around it, which enabled UN forces to begin their procedures to extend or restore its patrolling zone in order to implement the UN [Security Council] Resolution of 1974," he stressed.

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