10 Aug 2018 09:55

Russian military police to set up posts in vicinity of demilitarized zone near Golan Heights in Syria

AL-WASIYAH (Syria). Aug 10 (Interfax) - The Russian military police will deploy eight posts in the vicinity of the demilitarized zone near the Golan Heights on the Syrian-Israeli border, and the first such post has already been set up in the populated locality of Al-Wesiyah, Col. Viktor Zaitsev, deputy commander of the Russian group of forces in Syria in charge of the military police.

"We are now in Al-Wesiyah in the Al-Quneitra governorate, where the first stationary observation post of the Russian military police has been deployed. Another seven posts will be set up in the future. All of them will act as a guarantor of security for civilians in the Al-Quneitra governorate," Zaitsev said.

For his part, deputy commander of the Russian group of forces in Syria Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko said that these posts would be placed in front of the demilitarized zone that is controlled by UN forces.

"I would like to stress that there will be no Russian military police posts within the demilitarized zone itself. These posts will help maintain peace in Syria's districts, to be more precise in the Al-Quneitra governorate," Kuralenko said.

The Russian flag raised in this territory will act as a guarantee for the local population that "peace has come to this land forever," he said.