Although there are concerns whether the truce would hold up – especially after deadly air strikes over the weekend killed a number of civilians – Syrian state media reports said that President Bashar al-Assad had welcomed the deal.
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‘The market was full of shoppers going to buy presents for their kids, they were all civilians, ‘ said Salem Idlibi, a civil defence worker.
The agreement is set to go into effect on Monday night, coinciding with the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.
A high-ranking member of the group, which works closely with former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, said in a statement on YouTube on Sunday that the deal would only serve to “reinforce” the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and “increase the suffering” of civilians.
Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, which has intervened militarily on behalf of Assad, said late Saturday it supported the deal.
Despite the apparent breakthrough, the killing continued, with deadly bombing raids on the rebel stronghold of Idlib province.
Basma Kodmani, of the High Negotiations Committee, tells The Associated Press that Russian Federation should pressure President Bashar Assad’s government to abide by the agreement reached early Saturday. “In the Damascus province mortar fire has been opened against inhabited areas Haush-Nasri, Jaubar, Kaush-Harabu, the Ibn-al-Walid hospital and the farm in the Khan-aash-Shikh inhabited area”, the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website.
“If we we have a credible line of cessation of hostilities, then we can look to moderate groups in the opposition to disassociate themselves from extremists”.
Michael Ratney, Washington’s envoy to Syria, warned that cooperation with al Qaeda’s Nusra Front could bring “dire consequences” for Syria’s other rebel groups.
Despite fundamental differences in their vision for Syria, rebels and opposition activists hailed a rebel coalition led by Jabhat Fatah al-Sham when it broke a government siege on the rebel-held eastern quarters in Aleppo.
Abdalah Khallil, a rebel who participated in the Turkish backed attack on the Islamic State group last month told ABC’s AM program: “The ceasefire is politically motivated and aims at getting rid of Jabhat Fateh el Sham and the Islamic State group”.
Russian Federation and the United States, which support opposing sides in the Syrian conflict, reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria after some 13 hours of talks on Friday.
In an unexpected development, Russian Federation and the U.S. will then establish a joint centre to combat jihadist groups.
Syrian opposition activists say intense airstrikes on rebel-held parts of the northern city of Aleppo and nearby villages and towns have killed at least 45 people. He labeled the Syrian air force the “main driver of civilian casualties” and migrant flows.
Still, a senior official inside Ahrar al-Sham said rebels would nevertheless abide by the cease-fire to regroup after a punishing conflict with pro-government forces over Aleppo.
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The deal promises a nationwide truce starting at sundown on Monday.
