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Iran welcomes Syria cease-fire

Rebel-held parts of Aleppo are under full siege, and two major suburbs of Damascus have been taken from rebel control after an agreement was reached with the government.

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At least 30 people were killed in the attacks, according to the Observatory.

The United States and Russian Federation reached a breakthrough deal early on Saturday to try to restore peace in Syria, but air strikes hours later added to rebels’ doubts that any ceasefire could hold.

A powerful Syrian rebel group allied to al-Qaida’s wing in Syria said it won’t respect a cease-fire due to start Monday, putting in jeopardy a Russian and US plan meant to ease the country’s humanitarian crisis and pave the way to peace talks.

Washington has said indiscriminate bombing of civilians by the Syrian army would have to end under an enforceable deal.

Saturday’s violence shows that it might be hard to implement the U.S. -Russia agreement as both countries enjoy limited influence on the government and insurgent groups to cease the bombardment.

The final hours of the talks dragged out as Kerry contacted US President Barack Obama’s office to get approval for the plan, but the top diplomat said both governments stand behind it.

The agreement, brokered by the U.S. and Russian Federation, is set to begin with a limited ceasefire starting at sundown on Monday and allows the Syrian government to continue to strike at Al Qaeda-linked militants until the USA and Russian Federation take over the task in one week’s time.

Both sides have failed to deliver their ends of the bargain over several previous truces, but the new arrangement goes further by promising a new US-Russian counter-terrorism alliance, only a year after President Barack Obama chastised Russia for a military intervention that US officials said was mainly created to keep Assad in power and target more moderate anti-Assad forces.

The deal has received the endorsement of President Bashar al-Assad’s government and its key allies – Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The High Negotiations Council (HNC), an umbrella political group representing the opposition, also offered a cautious endorsement.

The military said it hit Syrian artillery positions after the projectile landed in the northern Golan Heights.

Israel has sought to avoid being drawn into Syria’s complex war which is now in its sixth year, but it has attacked Syrian military targets when fire from the conflict spills over.

Six months and eleven days later, the United States and Russian Federation agreed on another “Cessation of Hostilities”, “renewing and improving” the deadly February deal that led to nothing but sorrow for the Syrian people and improved the situation for the regime.

Both sides agreed not to release the documents publicly.

The Russian and USA governments contend this will go beyond several previous truces between the Syrian government and armed opposition.

Hours after the deal was announced, Syria’s army attacked rebel-held areas in Aleppo, as it tries to maximize gains before the ceasefire begins.

The deal would end aerial bombardment by Russian Federation and the Syrian air force of their positions and of civilians living in areas they control, he said.

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Cooperation with Fateh al-Sham, formerly al Qaeda’s Nusra Front, could bring “dire consequences” for Syria’s mainstream rebel groups once a proposed U.S.

Syria cease-fire deal greeted with support skepticism