Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-08 04:58:14|Editor: yan

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MINSK, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The OSCE's special representative in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, Martin Sajdik, on Wednesday urged again the sides of the Ukrainian conflict to protect civilians, local media reported.

Following a meeting of the Contact Group which is a group of representatives from Ukraine, Russia and OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), Sajdik reiterated that security should become a top priority for the conflicting parties.

He said the security is associated with a complex approach combining the observance of the ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons and forces, and mine clearance.

Meanwhile, Sajdik urged the parties to promptly respond to all the requests of the special monitoring mission of OSCE, particularly on the transfer of maps necessary for mine clearance.

Since 2014, there has been an armed conflict in the Donbass region in east Ukraine between the pro-Russian rebels and the government forces. A number of ceasefire agreements have been signed between the conflicting parties but the situation is still fragile there.