A top Russian military official says military police have deployed to the eastern suburbs of the Syrian capital, Damascus, where they will monitor a cease-fire in the safe zone there.
Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi told reporters July 24 that that Russian soldiers set up two checkpoints and four monitoring posts in the eastern Ghouta district.
It wasn't immediately clear how many soldiers had been sent to the area. Russia has had a sizable contingent of air force units and supporting troops operating out of an air base in the coastal province of Latakia.
The zone is one of four proposed in a plan approved by Russia, Iran, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Turkey.
Under the Russian plan, Assad's air force would halt flights over designated areas across the country.
The ministry also said talks on creating a new de-escalation zone in Idlib Province were continuing.
Russia Says Military Police Deployed To Monitor Syria Cease-Fire
Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi (file photo)