Rebel factions in Syria have said they were prepared to honour the ceasefire agreement due to take effect on Monday evening, despite deep reservations about its terms.
Advertisement
The accord included a truce to start across Syria at sunset Monday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival.
The Free Syrian Army groups wrote to the United States on Sunday about the deal it agreed on with Russian Federation, saying that while they would “cooperate positively” with the ceasefire, they were concerned it would benefit the government.
The Observatory said the deadliest airstrike occurred in the northwestern city of Idlib and struck near the main market.
The ceasefire plan, announced Friday, calls for the Syrian government and the opposition to respect a nationwide ceasefire.
If the calm lasts, the agreement has the potential of fulfilling a major goal of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is to work with the United States against the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in Syria.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that despite continuing mistrust, the two sides had developed five documents that would enable coordination of the fight against terrorism and a revival of Syria’s failed truce.
Syrian government warplanes bombarded rebel-held areas around the country Saturday while insurgents shelled government-held neighborhoods in violence that left at least 45 people dead, hours after a U.S. -Russia agreement was reached to try to reduce violence in the war-torn country.
The monitor confirmed reports by residents and activists in rebel-held eastern Aleppo who said Syrian army helicopters dropped barrel bombs on residential civilian areas in several districts.
In a letter to armed opposition groups seen by Reuters, Michael Ratney urged them to abide by the U.S.
Both Kerry and Lavrov said the complex plan is the best available chance to end fighting between forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad and mainstream rebels while still targeting hardline fighters affiliated with the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and ISIL.
Washington has said indiscriminate bombing of civilians by the Syrian army would have to end under an enforceable deal.
Basma Kodmani, of the High Negotiations Committee, told the AP that Russian Federation should pressure Assad’s government to abide by the agreement reached early Saturday. “We will do our part”, she said. She said mechanisms will be needed for the enforcement of the deal, including the “cessation of hostilities and the grounding (of) regime air forces”.
“We have holy warriors who will burn the ground”, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Advertisement
‘It has the ability to stick, provided the regime and the opposition both meet their obligations, which we – and we expect other supporting countries – will strongly encourage them to do’. It is not clear how the government will distinguish between the two, and whether it can strike at the Fatah al-Sham group without hitting other rebels as well.
