OSCE calls on sides in east Ukraine conflict to withdraw heavy weapons from Donetsk airport

All parties in the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine should withdraw heavy weapons from the Donetsk airport, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) said in a statement on Thursday.

"The SMM calls upon all parties to immediately stop the fighting and withdraw heavy weapons and armed units from the airport and from all adjacent residential areas as agreed in the Minsk documents," according to the statement.

"The SMM stands ready to facilitate dialogue to further reduce the level of tension," the document said.

OSCE monitors also condemned "the continuation of the fighting in the residential areas close to the airport."

Earlier, the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff assessed the situation at the Donetsk airport as serious, but stable. It also reported that two Ukrainian servicemen had been killed in clashes at the airport on Thursday.