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Syria ceasefire could fail as United Nations meets
Syria’s state news agency SANA said a church in a regime-controlled district in Aleppo was damaged after rebels fired a rocket in a breach of the truce that came into effect on Monday.
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Barack Obama has voiced his “deep concern” over the situation, warning the terms of the ceasefire were not now being met.
He said the terms of the ceasefire, particularly the flow of humanitarian aid, must be met before the joint center can be discussed.
The deal struck between Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva on Friday agreed to a seven-day period of reduced violence and increased humanitarian aid deliveries.
It added that it had done all that was required of it to facilitate the arrival of aid to eastern Aleppo but that it would not provide guarantees regarding the safety of convoys while rebels still fired upon the road to the city.
Heavy military gears and vehicles have started to withdraw, with a small number of soldiers left till the Syrian army’s positions there are fully handed over to the Russian forces, the source said on condition of anonymity.
Vladimir Savchenko said late on Thursday the Syrian government had done so to ensure the delivery of humanitarian supplies into rebel-held east Aleppo.
If the truce, which began on Monday, lasts seven days and aid access is granted, Russian Federation and the U.S. say they will work together to target ISIL, also known as ISIS, and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the group formerly known as al-Nusra Front.
USA military officials have expressed concerns about Russia’s reliance on so-called dumb bombs in Syria that have led to indiscriminate killings of civilians and opposition forces due to their targeting inaccuracies.
John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, conveyed the message to Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, in a phone call.
Meanwhile, Russia’s top army general was yesterday holding talks with his Turkish counterpart on the conflict in Syria.
Privately, they express concern that Russian Federation may be stalling for time, but say ultimately talks are the only way the Syrian war will come to an end.
The truce has been holding despite some violations, with the Syrian opposition on Thursday reporting 46 cease-fire violations around the country.
Under the truce deal, the main route for humanitarian assistance into divided Aleppo, the Castello Road, would be demilitarized and aid convoys would enter from Turkey.
Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir of the Russian military’s General Staff declared a readiness to extend the cease-fire for another 72 hours, adding that Moscow expects Washington to take “resolute action” to end violations by the US -backed opposition units to prevent the situation from “spinning out of control”.
The aid impasse came as Russian Federation put pressure on the U.S. to release the text of the agreement, and urged the USA to allow it to form the basis of a United Nations security council resolution next week.
Rebel groups fight alongside al-Qaida-linked militants against Assad’s forces, as the extremists are among the most potent fighting forces in the country.
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But early Friday, the trucks were still waiting at the border with Turkey, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.