Barely two hours before the beginning of a ceasefire in Syria, the United States has warned Russian Federation that it was time to either “put up or shut up”.
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Under the “Terms for a Cessation of Hostilities in Syria”, the participants of the agreement are obligated to “cease attacks with any weapons, including rockets, mortars, and anti-tank guided missiles” and “refrain from acquiring or seeking to acquire territory from other parties to the ceasefire”.
The ceasefire, which both the government and the main opposition alliance have agreed to, albeit with reservations, is meant to allow the delivery of badly needed humanitarian aid and create an environment more conducive to peace talks and a political solution to the conflict.
ISIS fighters also clashed with other rebel groups in Aleppo and Homs, the observatory said.
President Obama has said the coming weeks will be “critical” for Syria’s future, ahead of a two-week truce due to start on Friday. Also unresolved are how exactly breaches in the truce would be dealt with.
“Today by midday Damascus time all warring sides in Syria had to confirm to us or to our American partners their agreement to adhere to a ceasefire”, Putin told a meeting of the FSB security service in Moscow. His reluctance to negotiate with the rebels is one reason why the conflict has dragged on for five years, killed more than 250,000 people, and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 22 million.
The announcement is further indication of the complexities of implementing the truce, which the government and opposition approved this week.
But it remains to be seen whether the “cessation” will have a tangible impact on the fighting that has raged in Syria for 5 years now.
Despite the Kremlin assurances that US and Russian relations are improving as a result of the discussions, there have been mixed feelings in Washington about the accord.
Following the adoption, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said the agreement is the world’s “best chance to reduce the violence”.
All said they would keep fighting against the extremists.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey may intensify weapons shipments to the rebels or decide to take part in a ground offensive in Syria, ostensibly against the Islamic State group.
According to the agreement announced by the USA and Russian Federation, the truce does not apply to jihadists from the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda’s affiliate Al-Nusra Front.
Davutoglu said the cease-fire would have “no meaning if Russian Federation continues with its irresponsible bombings”.
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The UN Security Council is expected to vote Friday, February 26 on a US-Russian draft resolution endorsing the Syria ceasefire, diplomats said.
