Built on a violence-interruption approach that has been used in contexts as differing as Baltimore and Baghdad, the intervention combines targeted SMS with intensive on-the-ground work by existing peace builders and community leaders to target potential flashpoints of violence.

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But there is concern that the presence of sophisticated Russian-supplied weaponry will make it much harder to agree and carry out such intervention, implement a blockade or conduct targeted airstrikes in the future.

BBC: Syria crisis: Russia 'sends sophisticated weapons'