Armed Terrorist Groups Committed more than 1,300 Violations of the Ceasefire

Syrian Information Minister Dr. Adnan Mahmoud said that the armed terrorist groups have committed more than 1,300 violations of the ceasefire which came into effect on April 12, the latest of which were two massacres perpetrated by the Western-backed armed terrorist groups in Erbeen in Damascus countryside and Turkman Mereh in Aleppo.

In a statement on Thursday, Mahmoud said that the armed terrorist groups have escalated the crimes of killing, massacres, explosions, kidnappings and assassinations against civilians and law-enforcement members.

Minister Mahmoud indicated that the number of documented violations and attacks by armed groups reached 1,300 since the ceasefire came into effect, stressing that Syria has met its obligations according to the plan of the UN Envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, adding that Annan was informed of these violations through messages sent by the Syrian foreign minister.

Mahmoud said that ending violence requires objective and transparent monitoring and observing the sources of the armed terrorist groups’ violations, with reserving the right to respond to any violation or attack.

”We are expecting Annan to exert genuine efforts with tangible results on the ground towards the terrorist groups and the countries providing them with funding and arms, and to obtain commitments from these countries to stop arming, training and funding them,” said Mahmoud.

The Information Minister said that countries such as Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are allies of terrorism against Syria and complicit in the crimes against the Syrian citizens, adding that they are legally, ethically and politically responsible for the crimes committed by the terrorist groups.

Dr. Mahmoud said that the Information Ministry granted visas to 98 Arab and international media outlets since March 25th, 2012, adding that 400 media outlets have entered Syria since the beginning of the crisis.