In his comments, de Mistura also highlighted a timeline, saying that if the 48-hour benchmark worked out – including agreed-upon humanitarian access, with “no bombs and more trucks” – followed by the creation of a joint command centre between Russian Federation and the U.S. to plan air operations in the country, a meeting on Syria may take place in NY during the General Assembly, and then a Security Council session on 21 September.
Advertisement
Poznikhir said Wednesday that Moscow backs the extension of the truce for another 48 hours.
The secretary-general added: “I have been urging the Russian Government to make sure that they exercise influence on the Syrian Government, and also the American side to make sure that Syrian armed groups, they also fully cooperate”.
Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said there were minor violations in central Hama province.
The convoys, each of around 20 trucks carrying mostly food and flour, entered Syria from the Turkish border town of Cilvegozu, about 40km west of Aleppo, on Tuesday but made it little further than the Turkish customs post.
“I’m not going to tell you I trust them”, said Harrigian.
The U.S. says it has committed to severing links between the rebels it supports and the al-Qaeda fighters, who have been acting together, particularly in the besieged northern city of Aleppo.
In other developments, the Syrian military announced its forces on Tuesday shot down two Israeli aircraft – a warplane and a drone – near the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights. “This is a very complex environment and we need security guarantees”, said OCHA spokesman David Swanson.
The UN has estimated that well over half a million people are living under siege in Syria.
If the cease-fire holds for a week, USA and Russian forces will begin steps to combine operations to eliminate obstacles to peace – including militants of the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front.
In besieged rebel-held Aleppo, Mohammed Khandakani, a 28-year old attorney, said calm was prevailing in an area that had seen some of the heaviest violence in the days leading up to the cease-fire. The first week will be crucial: During that time, all fighting between Assad’s forces and the rebels is to stop, although Assad’s forces can continue airstrikes against IS and al-Qaida-linked militants.
More than half of Syria’s prewar population of 22.4 million have been displaced, including almost 5 million refugees who have fled the country.
Daesh and al-Nusra Front are designated terrorist organizations by the UN, the United States and Russian Federation, as well as many other nations, and are not part of the deal.
Under the guidelines set out in the ceasefire deal between the USA and Russian Federation, both countries have been mandated to monitor whether both sides are adhering to the ceasefire.
Russian Federation said that at least six people died on Tuesday morning in the province of Aleppo in attacks by the US -backed opposition.
Steffan de Mistura, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, implied on Tuesday that the regime was also blocking passage of aid. A Turkish official said no further trucks were expected to cross the border on Wednesday until the situation became clearer.
But there remains deep skepticism about whether the truce will hold, with the opposition yet to officially sign on.
Advertisement
If the deal does hold, it could open the door to new peace talks to resolve the conflict, with Russian Federation saying Mr De Mistura could invite government and opposition representatives to new talks “at the very beginning of October”. That group, formerly known as the Nusra Front, has condemned the truce, saying the deal is aimed at keeping President Bashar Assad in power.
