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US concerned over impending Assad regime presence in de-escalation zone

WASHINGTON, May 26 (KUNA) -- The US late Friday expressed concern over reports of an impending Assad regime operation in southwest Syria within the boundaries of the escalation zone negotiated between the governments of the US, Jordan and Russia.
The US "remains committed to maintaining the stability of the southwest de-escalation zone and to the ceasefire underpinning it," said a State Department press release. "We also caution the Syrian regime against any actions that risk broadening the conflict or jeopardize the ceasefire." As a guarantor of the area, the US will take "firm and appropriate measures" in response to regime violations, it said.
The release added that the agreement it made with Russia to de-escalate the conflict "must be enforced and respected.
"Russia has declared to the world and to the UNSC that it will 'guarantee' ceasefires in its self-declared de-escalation zones," the statement asserted.
It stressed that the Assad regime has "repeatedly violated" the de-escalation zones" and Assad's allies continue to "prolong the conflict by ignoring their own de-escalation agreements" including "stonewalling the Geneva process.
"Russia is duly responsible as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to use its diplomatic and military advantage over the Assad regime to stop attacks and compel the Assad regime to cease further military offensives," it added.
The US highlighted that Russia has blocked UNSC actions that would hold Assad accountable and save innocent lives in Syria "11 times so far in this conflict.
"Russia should live up to its self-professed commitments in accordance with UNSC 2254 and the southwest ceasefire, embodied in the Da Nang Statement issued by Presidents Trump and Putin," it asserted. (end) ak.gta