Secretary of State John Kerry says the week-old truce in Syria brokered by the USA and Russian Federation is “holding but fragile” despite persistent violence and a lack of aid deliveries to besieged communities.
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Syria’s military blamed rebel groups for undermining the cease-fire aimed at bringing an end to the country’s bloody five-year civil war.
The U.S. -Russian deal set out steps including a nationwide ceasefire, aid deliveries, and joint U.S.
Despite the setback, the State Department said it was prepared to extend the cease-fire window in the hopes that if it held, the US and Russian Federation could then turn to their planned military co-operation against the Islamic State militants and al-Qaida-linked groups in Syria.
There was no indication from Russian Federation or the USA that an extension of the truce deal had been agreed, or was imminent, but there have been remarks from the Syrian military in Damascus that it could be extended by 72 hours.
“It would be good if they didn’t talk first to the press but if they talked to the people who are actually negotiating this”, he said.
“This step (cease-fire) was to constitute a real chance to stop the bloodshed”.
The United States said earlier on Monday the ceasefire was “holding but fragile”.
United Nations officials have blamed Damascus for blocking aid deliveries to other besieged, rebel-held areas.
The deaths took the number of civilians killed across Syria on Sunday to 11, and up to 26 since the ceasefire began on Monday, he added. He claimed on Monday that the Syrian government forces have observed the truce unilaterally, despite the continuing rebel violations.
“I am pained and disappointed that a United Nations convoy has yet to cross into Syria from Turkey, and safely reach eastern Aleppo, where up to 275,000 people remain trapped without food, water, proper shelter or medical care”, said UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien.
Warplanes made multiple attacks against rebel strongholds in eastern Aleppo Sunday, leaving at least one woman dead and many people wounded, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
The Observatory said at least 90 soldiers were killed in the strike on a strategic hill near Deir Ezzor.
The convoy depends on the success of the US-Russia ceasefire deal that Moscow says was severely shaken by a US-led airstrike on Syrian government troops. The opposition reported on Monday 254 violations by government forces and their allies since the truce started.
Barazi said on Sunday that between 250 to 300 rebels were due to be evacuated from Waer, on Monday.
The areas hit are close to Syrian army positions that were targeted on Sunday by the US -led coalition. Russian Federation accused the US of threatening the cease-fire, calling the future of the deal “a very big question mark”.
The US Central Command released a statement saying that the coalition forces “would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit”.
It said it was not clear if the jets were Syrian or Russian. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the failure of Syrian rebels to adhere to the truce “threatens the cease-fire and U.S”.
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“With the rebels failing to fulfil conditions the ceasefire agreement, we consider its unilateral observance by the Syrian government forces meaningless”, Rudskoi said.
