“I am confident we will prevail”, Obama said.
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Obama emphasized that the cease-fire would not include the Islamic State group.
The draft further “urges all Member States, especially ISSG (International Syria Support Group) members, to use their influence with the parties to the cessation of hostilities to ensure fulfillment of those commitments and to support efforts to create conditions for a durable and lasting ceasefire”.
The last barrages came as the main Syrian opposition and rebel umbrella group said dozens of factions – 97 groups in all – have agreed to abide by the truce.
“They’re trying to split hairs in order to demonstrate progress”, he said.
He said he was disturbed by the “intensification of bombings by the Syrian army and Russian Federation, a few hours only before the start of the (halt)”.
Other officials in Moscow denied the existence of one such option, saying the only agreement reached between Moscow and Washington is an imminent truce in the Arab country that will be formalised through a United Nations Security Council resolution.
Kalin also warned the refugee crisis that has hit Europe will escalate unless the Syrian government’s ground operations are stopped. “Potentially, it could also lead to negotiations on a political settlement to end the civil war so that everybody can focus their attention on destroying ISIL [or ISIS] and that’s why the United States will do everything we can to maximize chance of success in this cessation of hostilities”.
Armed opposition groups fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad say they will respect a two-week truce which begins at midnight local time on Friday.
“The operation is carried out in support of this country’s armed forces and aimed against the terrorist organizations – Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra (both banned in Russia) and others listed by the UN Security Council”, Peskov said.
“The Russians have committed themselves to not carrying out strikes against groups that we consider the moderate opposition”, Toner told reporters.
Russian Federation has been assisting the Syrian forces in their anti-terror campaign, launching airstrikes against Daesh targets in Syria at the request of Assad and in accordance with worldwide law since late September 2015. The group’s spokesman, Talal Sillo, told reporters that 20 SDF and 275 fighters from IS were killed in the battles.
The Observatory also reported artillery bombardment by government forces and air strikes overnight in Hama province, and artillery bombardment by government forces in Homs province.
The SANA news agency said government troops took three villages near the town of Khanaser, which they had recaptured from the IS group the previous day.
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IS attacked the Khanaser area Monday, capturing the town only to lose it Thursday.
