MOSCOW/ANKARA Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire between Syrian opposition groups and the Syrian government starting at midnight on Thursday.
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The Syrian government and the armed opposition yesterday agreed to a nationwide ceasefire leading to peace talks, in a breakthrough truce aimed at ending the bloody five-year conflict.
Sharif said Saudi and Qatari governments have been spearheading logistical, financial and media support for terrorist groups that have been wreaking havoc on Syria for six years.
This includes ISIS, the ex-Nusra Front and all groups linked to them.
If it holds, the truce between the Syrian Government and the country’s mainstream rebel forces will be followed by peace talks next month in Kazakhstan, Mr Putin said in announcing the agreement.
United Nations peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would “pave the way for productive talks”, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue next year.
In an interview with the state TV, just hours ahead of the commencement of the cease-fire, al-Moallem said the recently-reached nationwide cessation of hostilities in Syria is a real chance for ending the Syrian war and bringing an end to the bloodletting in the war-torn country.
Turkey and Russian Federation reached an agreement on a cease-fire plan between rebels and the Syrian government, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.
Dmitry Peskov wouldn’t comment on Wednesday’s report by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency that claimed Moscow and Ankara had reached an agreement on a plan for a cease-fire comprising the whole of Syria.
In a clear snub to US President Barack Obama, Russia’s top diplomat said Moscow would look to get the team of President-elect Donald Trump in the mix when he takes power next month. However, several opposition officials said the group, which has been renamed Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (JFS), was also included in the ceasefire deal.
Clashes and air strikes continued in some areas since the nationwide ceasefire, brokered by Russian Federation and Turkey began on Friday.
Iran is opposed to Turkish demands that Lebanese Hizbullah fighters, who have been backing Mr Assad, withdraw from Syria.
The rebels and political opposition accuse the government of massing forces to launch a ground attack.
“All foreign fighters need to leave Syria”.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke optimistically of the ceasefire and coming talks, warning in the meantime that some parties tried to ruin the chance.
One powerful player in Syria has rejected the truce, however.
There are also more immediate hurdles.
As its cooperation tightened with Moscow, Turkey stood conspicuously quiet as the regime, supported by Russian Federation, took control last week of Aleppo, handing the rebels their biggest defeat in the civil war so far.
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Erdogan went on to say during the Tuesday press conference that the US -led coalition was supporting other groups such as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units in northern Syria (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD), both of which he considers terrorist organizations.
