The UN’s Syria envoy on Tuesday applauded a “significant drop” in violence through the first 24 hours of a fragile ceasefire but said security concerns meant aid convoys stayed on hold. “And there are some parties to the conflict that are not fully on board”.
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Poznikhir also said Russian Federation had bombed the area north of the historic city of Palmyra, “where IS militants are concentrated”, in the first such strikes since the truce came into force.
Aleppo is in desperate need of humanitarian aid after weeks of heavy fighting.
The deal is the latest in a succession of attempts to end the fighting in Syria. Perhaps it’s the only one available to a USA policy that swears off, as doomed to failure, the same limited military measures that Russian Federation has employed with success.
A commander with the Jaish al-Mujahideen rebel brigade demonstrated Wednesday the ambiguity of the opposition’s position on aid and the cease-fire.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry denied entry of humanitarian aid to Aleppo unless it is coordinated through the government and United Nations – especially aid coming from Turkey, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
“Unless it is part of a humiliating deal”, he said.
Between 250,000 and 275,000 people in east Aleppo have been cut off from assistance since early July, according to the United Nations.
Ban said on September 14 that 20 trucks loaded with food and other supplies were still at the Turkish border, 48 hours into a cease-fire, awaiting the all-clear for the journey to the city of Aleppo.
In recent days, images have emerged from Syria showing people taking advantage of the rare calm to celebrate the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of aid delivery in Syria.
The convoy of aid was supposed to head towards the city on Wednesday, but Ban said the security arrangements were still not in place despite the truce. It includes around 25 tons of flour, rice and pasta. “The people can not endure much longer without supplies”. But if the cease-fire falters and begins to come apart, Washington has little leverage over so many players and competing interests to bring the deal back on track, thus perpetuating a conflict that has killed more than 300,000 people and torn the country apart.
Russia will recommend persisting with the ceasefire and is preparing for the Syrian army and rebel fighters to begin a staged withdrawal from an Aleppo road expected to be used for aid deliveries on Thursday, the Russian military said.
Once any joint US-Russian operations begin, Syrian government warplanes will no longer be able to fly in any areas of Syria where there is opposition or Fatah al-Sham presence.
The agreement envisions Castello Road as “a demilitarized zone, where there could be greater traffic, greater humanitarian traffic, unimpeded and unthreatened”, the USA official said.
The aid is aimed at convincing the global community that “the U.N.is doing their best to help civilians”, Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a teacher and resident of eastern Aleppo, said of the terms of the cease-fire.
When Russia launched its direct military intervention in Syria a year ago, President Obama predicted its only result would be a quagmire.
Poznikhir said Russian Federation had fully met its obligations under the terms of the ceasefire and that Syrian government forces had not returned fire in light of the violations.
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“We’ve seen violations by both sides”, he said, adding, “we’re continuing to monitor this very closely”. But “we will allow [the aid] because our people are suffering”.
