The channel also reported shelling by the Islamic State group on government-held neighborhood in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, saying it killed nine and wounded 26.
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“It is profoundly in the interests of the United States to target al Qaeda, to target al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, which is Nusra, an organisation that is opposed to a peaceful transition, an organisation that is an enemy of the legitimate opposition, an organisation that is now plotting attacks beyond Syria’s borders, including against the United States”.
Russian Federation and Iran are both providing crucial military support to President Assad against rebels and jihadi fighters in Syria’s civil war.
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.
Iran says it welcomes a U.S. Forty days of fighting in Aleppo has killed almost 700 civilians, including 160 children, according to a Syrian human rights group. It is not clear how these governments intend to distinguish between Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and other allied rebel factions or how they will be able to attack the al-Qaida linked militants without hitting other rebels as well.
“A big part of the agreement serves the regime and doesn’t apply pressure on it and doesn’t serve the Syrian people”, said Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim.
Key regime ally Iran welcomed the plan on Sunday and called for “comprehensive monitoring” of the truce, particularly along Syria’s volatile borders.
If the cease-fire holds for one week, the USA and Russian Federation could start joint operations against jihadis from the Islamic State group and Fateh al-Sham.
The ceasefire will not apply to the jihadist groups Islamic State or Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, known as the Nusra Front until it broke formal allegiance to al Qaeda and changed its name.
“Given the experience of a few months ago, the ceasefire must be sustainable… and must not be exploited as an opportunity for terrorist groups to revive their power and transfer fighters and weapons”, he added, referring to a truce that collapsed earlier this year.
Pro-government Syrian newspaper Al-Watan said on Sunday the deal would pave the way for renewed peace talks in Geneva.
The U.S. on Saturday warned insurgents they would face “dire consequences” if they cooperate with Jabhet Fateh al-Sham, which fought alongside a range of mainstream and Islamist rebel groups during intense battles in recent weeks in southern Aleppo.
Illustrating how widely insurgents work with the former al Qaeda affiliate, Ahrar al-Sham was one of several rebel groups to announce the launch of an offensive in the southwest in coordination with Jabhat Fateh al-Sham on Saturday.
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Aleppo was hit for the second day on Sunday, the Observatory said, after 12 civilians were killed there in airstrikes on Saturday.
