A U.S. -Russia-brokered cease-fire in Syria that began on Monday is meant to help stage the ground for peace talks to end Syria’s devastating civil war, now in its sixth year.
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Washington said late Wednesday that US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov had spoken and agreed to prolong the ceasefire which began on Monday.
Meanwhile, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the ceasefire was “by and large” holding steady despite complaints of violations, but urged the United States to do more to influence the rebel groups it supports in Syria.
Under the pact, Russian Federation was to restrain Bashar al-Assad’s regime while Washington leans on the rebel groups opposing him, and both sides agree violence has reduced.
In Geneva, the U.N.’s envoy to Syria, Staffan De Mistura, called humanitarian access the “second dividend” of the U.S. -Russia cease-fire deal, after tapering violence.
Commercial Turkish trucks wait to cross to Syria near the Cilvegozu border gate, located opposite the Syrian commercial crossing point Bab al-Hawa in Reyhanli, Hatay Province, Turkey, September 16, 2016.
The Russian military had said that the Syrian army withdrew its armor, artillery and other weapons from a key highway near Aleppo early Thursday, signaling the possible arrival of aid convoys after several days of delay.
United Nations officials have said they are awaiting word from Russian Federation and Syrian combatants on both sides that security and monitoring are in place to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid into Aleppo.
“It’s crucially important (that) the necessary security arrangements should be given so that they can be allowed to cross the lines”, he said.
“Beyond all doubt, the Russian side is continuing to use its influence to make sure that the ceasefire accords are implemented and we hope our American colleagues will do the same”.
The conflict centers on a road-the main route for aid into Eastern Aleppo.
OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said “it is my understanding” that United Nations officials are waiting for assurances that conditions are safe enough for two convoys of 20 trucks each to proceed from Turkey to eastern Aleppo.
“They’ve been waiting and sleeping at the border now for 48 hours. They are still there”, he said. Another child died of wounds sustained earlier from sniper fire in al-Masharfeh, a government-held neighborhood in Aleppo city.
“We are reaching a really terrifying conclusion for the whole world: That the White House is defending Islamic State”, she said.
The closed-door consultations were called off after Moscow and Washington failed to agree over disclosing details of the ceasefire to the council.
Khan Sheikhun, like most of the surrounding province, is controlled by an alliance of rebels, hardline Islamists and jihadists such as the Fateh al-Sham Front.
There remains deep skepticism that the truce will hold up.
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“The regime is ready.to withdraw but will not move unless the opposition begins to withdraw”, Abdulrahman said.
