Ukraine agrees on new cease-fire with separatist rebels in the east

Arseniy Yatsenyuk walks in parliament shortly after giving up his position as prime minister during the inaugural sitting of the legislature in Kiev, Ukraine, on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014. Parliament reconfirmed him as prime minister shortly afterwards. The legislature has convened for its first session since October elections that ushered in a spate of pro-Western political parties. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) (The Associated Press)

An orthodox priest blesses the Ukrainian parliament prior a session in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (The Associated Press)

Former Prime Minister and leader of the Fatherland party Yulia Tymoshenko, center, stands with lawmakers from her party during a parliament session in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Tuesday that under the agreement for a new cease-fire, hostilities are to cease Friday along the line of contact between the warring sides. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (The Associated Press)

International monitors in eastern Ukraine say government troops and Russian-backed separatist forces in the Luhansk region have agreed on a new cease-fire.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a statement late Monday that hostilities will cease Friday along the line of contact between the warring sides.

The OSCE said it was agreed at negotiations that took place Saturday that heavy weapons will start being withdrawn from the front at the weekend.

A similar deal was reached Monday to end fighting over the airport in the capital of the more heavily populated Donetsk region, but rocket barrages continued for hours in that area all the same.

A cease-fire was nominally agreed in early September, but hundreds have been killed since then amid daily violations of that truce.