More than 50 armed opposition groups numbering in total about 7,000 people have laid down their arms and joined the cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria over the past two months, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

"These are not final figures, as the reconciliation process is gaining momentum owing to the hard and dangerous work being done by Syrian authorities. Apart from its important role in stabilizing the situation in Syria itself, it also serves as a catalyst of the negotiations in Geneva," Konashenkov told journalists on May 5.