KIEV
A group of observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) came under fire near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk late on Sunday, according to the organization's official website.
The group were patrolling the area near the Putilovka market, located in the Kievskiy district of Donetsk, which was earlier subjected to shelling, when a mortar shell exploded about 200 metres away from the team's position.
Representatives from the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) told the monitors that a total of four people were killed in the mortar attack.
After the incident German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expressed their concern about the violation of the ceasefire and agreed to continue their work on a peaceful settlement in the region during a telephone conversation, according to a statement from Ukrainian presidential press office.
Meanwhile, Poroshenko announced 73 more Ukrainian soldiers were released by pro-Russian separatists on Monday, as part of the cease-fire agreement with the Ukrainian government.
On September 5, the Ukrainian government and separatist leaders signed a ceasefire after negotiations in Belarus, with hopes of ending the five-month conflict. However, shelling took place on Monday near Donetsk airport in eastern Ukraine, raising fears that the truce might end.
www.aa.com.tr/en
