Syria Ceasefire Holds after Initial Clashes
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A nationwide ceasefire in Syria, brokered by Russia and Turkey which back opposing sides in the conflict, appeared to hold early Friday after a shaky start during the night in the latest attempt to end nearly six years of bloodshed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, announced the ceasefire Thursday after forging the agreement with Turkey, a longtime backer of the opposition.
Activists and a rebel official reported clashes almost immediately after the truce took force at midnight (2200 GMT Thursday) between terrorists and government forces along the provincial boundary between Idlib and Hama, and isolated incidents of gunfire further south. Hours later calm prevailed in areas included in the deal, they said, Reuters reported.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States could join the peace process once President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. He also wanted Egypt to join, together with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Jordan and the United Nations.
A number of rebel groups have signed the agreement, Russia's Defense Ministry said. Several rebel officials acknowledged the deal, and a spokesman for the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA), a loose alliance of insurgent groups, said it would abide by the truce.
One FSA commander was optimistic about the truce deal, the third serious attempt at a nationwide ceasefire this year.
"This time I have confidence in its seriousness. There is new international input," Colonel Fares al-Bayoush said without elaborating.
The previous two Syria ceasefires, brokered by Cold War foes Washington and Moscow, took effect in February and September but both collapsed within weeks as warring sides accused each other of truce violations and fighting intensified.
In a sign that the latest truce could be as challenging to maintain as its predecessors, there was confusion over which rebel groups would be covered by the ceasefire.
The Syrian army said the agreement did not include terrorists from Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) and the Takfiri Jabhat Fateh al-Sham militant group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.
Talks on the latest truce picked up momentum after Iran, Russia and Turkey said last week they were ready to back a peace deal and adopted a declaration setting out principles for an agreement.
Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.
