The Aleppo Media Center, an activist collective, said 45 people were killed Saturday, just hours after the new U.S.
Advertisement
But hours later more than 100 people were reported to have been killed in a series of bombing raids and air strikes on rebel-held parts of Aleppo province in the north of the country, and in Idlib in the north-west.
The Geneva negotiating session, which lasted more than 13 hours, underscored the complexity of a conflict that includes myriad militant groups, shifting alliances and the rival interests of the USA and Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Turkey and the Kurds.
It did not say when the violence will stop, adding that the U.S. -Russia agreement “was reached with the knowledge and approval of the Syrian government”.
The week-long truce also includes improving humanitarian aid access and a joint military operation against banned terrorist groups.
If a cessation of hostilities holds for one week, the United States and Russian Federation – which back opposing sides in the war – could start joint operations against those extremists.
The strikes hit several areas in the rebel-held city, including a market full of shoppers preparing for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which begins Monday.
The ministry said it was pleased with the deal to reach a ceasefire in Syria. -Russian counterterrorism alliance, only a year after Obama chastised Putin for a military intervention that US officials said was mainly created to keep Assad in power and target more moderate anti-Assad forces.
Residents inspect a damaged site after airstrikes on a market in the rebel controlled city of Idlib September 10, 2016.
The monitor confirmed reports by residents and activists in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, who said Syrian army helicopters dropped barrel bombs on residential civilian areas in several districts.
The deal, announced last week by the US and Russian foreign ministers, calls for a halt to fighting between the USA -backed opposition and Russian-supported Syrian government.
Truces agreed in the past have collapsed after both sides failed to hold up their ends of the bargain.
The Syrian army meanwhile attacked rebel-held areas of Aleppo, pushing to maximise recent gains before the ceasefire was due to come into effect on Monday. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
“The fact that the Syrian government is indirectly taking part in this deal – because Russian Federation is being asked to pressure it – this is indirect acknowledgement that this factor (Assad’s presence) exists and there is nothing to do about it”, Lukyanov said.
Syrian President Bashar Assad says his government is determined to “reclaim every area from the terrorists, and to rebuild” the country.
Previous efforts to forge agreements to stop the fighting and deliver humanitarian aid to besieged communities in Syria have crumbled within weeks, with the United States accusing Assad’s forces of attacking opposition groups and civilians.
Kodmani said the opposition would “do our part” to see that rebel groups break ranks with the jihadists if the truce held.
The agreement also envisages unprecedented US-Russian military co-ordination against militant groups in Syria, including Islamic State and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.
Advertisement
Washington insists that Assad must step down before any peace process can yield results, but Russian Federation says the elected Syrian government is the legitimate power to run the country and is pivotal to the fight against terrorists there.
