At least 24 people have been killed in clashes between Syrian government troops and rebel and Islamic factions in the central province of Hama on the first day of the safe zone agreement.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said among those who died on Saturday were 11 members from the forces loyal to the government of Damascus, while the other 13 were combatants of the armed factions
The clashes broke out in the town of al-Zalaqeyat, north of Hama, where government troops managed to advance amid intense air and artillery shelling.
SOHR added that some 260 artillery shells and 25 explosive barrels were dropped by military helicopters on al-Zalaqeyat and other villages in the region, such as al-Lataminah, Kafr Zita and al-Zaka.
There were also several airstrikes targeting al-Lataminah, located in Hama, on Sunday, in addition to rocket firing by the government forces.
Meanwhile, fighting continued in the eastern district of al-Qaboun on the outskirts of Damascus between the Syrian army and its allies, on one hand, and Ahrar al-Sham Movement, Jaish al-Islam and Legion of Mercy, on the other.
Despite these violations, violence has been generally reduced in Syria after the three guarantors of the ceasefire - Russia, Turkey and Iran - reached an agreement on Thursday in Astana, Kazakhstan for the creation of safe zones in Syria.
Under the pact, which came into effect at midnight Friday, the areas would be established in the province of Idlib, parts of neighbouring provinces such as Latakia, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Eastern Ghouta and areas in Syria's south such as Daraa and Quneitra.
The agreement provides the creation of de-escalation areas to reduce violence, improve the humanitarian situation and favour the conditions for a peaceful solution.
The pact would be valid for six months and be automatically extendable if there was consensus among the signatory countries.
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