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WORLD NEWSSaturday 27 February 2016
US, Russia-brokered cease-fire begins in Syria EU Med countries
oppose unilateral
BASSEM MROUE actions on border,
immigration crisis
ZEINA KARAM
MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press
BEIRUT (AP) — A cease-fire LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) —
The rift over how to handle
brokered by the United Europe’s immigration crisis
ripped wide open Friday.
States and Russia came As nations along the Bal-
kans migrant route took
into effect across Syria more unilateral actions to
shut down their borders,
on Saturday, marking the diplomats from EU na-
tions bordering the Medi-
biggest international push terranean rallied around
Greece, the epicenter of
to reduce violence in the the crisis.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Io-
country’s devastating annis Kasoulides — speak-
ing on behalf of colleagues
conflict, but the Islamic from France, Spain, Ita-
ly, Portugal, Malta and
State group and al-Qaida’s Greece — said decisions
on how to deal with the
branch in Syria, the Nusra migrant influx that have al-
ready been made by the
Front, were excluded. 28-nation bloc cannot be
implemented selectively
The cease-fire aims to by some countries.
“This issue is testing our
bring representatives of unity and ability to han-
dle it,” Kasoulides told a
the Syrian government news conference after an
EU Mediterranean Group
and the opposition back meeting. “The EU Med
Group are the front-line
to the negotiating table states and we all share the
view that unilateral actions
in Geneva for talks on a cannot be a solution to this
crisis.”
political transition. The Kasoulides urged EU coun-
tries to enact all EU deci-
U.N.’s envoy, Staffan de A Syrian boy holds a toy gun as he plays soccer with others between destroyed buildings with sions on immigration so
graffiti that reads “Syria al-Assad,” in the old city of Homs, Syria, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. A cease-fire there “will be no unfairness
Mistura, announced that brokered by the United States and Russia came into effect across Syria on Saturday, marking the to anybody.”
biggest international push to reduce violence in the country’s devastating conflict, but the Islamic Greek Foreign Minister
peace talks would resume State group and al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, were excluded. Nikos Kotzias blasted some
European nations for im-
on March 7 if the cessation (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) posing border restrictions
on arriving migrants, saying
of hostilities “largely holds.” that police chiefs are not
allowed to decide to over-
If they do, it would be turn EU decisions.
He said Mediterranean
the first time international worked out between the positions in the suburbs of held Damascus suburb of colleagues were “unani-
the Syrian capital and near Douma was hit 40 times mous” in their support for
negotiations have brought United States and Russia. the northern city of Aleppo. on Friday, the Observatory Greece’s position on the
The last barrages came as said, along with other refugee crisis and that
any degree of quiet De Mistura told the the main Syrian opposition areas east of the capital, there was “clear criticism
and rebel umbrella group killing at least eight people, to all those who are seek-
in Syria’s five-year civil Security Council via video said dozens of factions — 97 including three women ing individual solutions at
groups in all — had agreed and four children. the expense of other mem-
war. But success requires conference from Geneva to abide by the truce. Mazen al-Shami, an activist ber states.”
The High Negotiations based in the area, said the The Greek government is
adherence by multiple that he hoped the cease- Committee, or HNC, said warplanes were Russian, blaming Austria — a fel-
a military committee has adding that they carried low member of Europe’s
armed factions — and fire would provide a been formed to follow up out some 60 air raids. He said passport-free Schengen
on adherence. 25 strikes targeted Douma. Area — for the flare-up in
the truce is made more chance for humanitarian The Britain-based Syrian “The air raids intensified the crisis. q
Observatory for Human after the revolutionary
fragile because it allows aid to reach those battered Rights said the warplanes factions said they will abide
in Friday’s strikes were by the cease-fire,” al-Shami
fighting to continue by Syria’s brutal war and believed to be Russian. The said via Skype. Stephane
Kremlin did not comment Dujarric, the spokesman
against the Islamic State allow for a political solution. on the latest developments for the U.N. secretary-
but denied allegations general, told reporters in
group and Nusra Front, White House spokesman that the Russian air force New York that the increase
bombed civilian positions of military activity was
which could easily re-ignite Josh Earnest said the U.S. east of Damascus the “tragic but unfortunately
previous day. The rebel- not surprising.”q
broader warfare. The didn’t expect to be able
Syrian government and to judge the cease-fire’s
the opposition, including success or failure within the
nearly 100 rebel groups, first days or even weeks.
have said they will abide “We do anticipate we’re
by the cease-fire despite going to encounter some
serious skepticism about speed bumps along the
chances for success. way,” Earnest said. “There
Less than an hour before will be violations.”
the truce was set to begin, On Friday, hours before the
the 15-member Security cease-fire came into effect,
Council unanimously warplanes unleashed
endorsed the agreement airstrikes against rebel-held
Army: Palestinian killed after attacking Israeli troops
JERUSALEM (AP) — A Pal- duty near Ramallah Friday assailant who carried out said by Israel to have been
estinian was shot and killed afternoon before forces at the attack and then fled attackers, during that time.
while trying to stab soldiers the scene opened fire and the scene. The rest died in clashes with
in the West Bank, the mili- killed him. Israel is struggling to com- troops.
tary said Friday hours after In the early hours of Friday bat five months of near- Israel says the violence
an Israeli man was seriously morning, an Israeli man daily Palestinian attacks on is fueled by a Palestinian
wounded by a Palestinian was brought to hospital in a civilians and security forces campaign of lies and in-
armed with an axe and a serious condition with multi- that have killed 28 Israelis, citement, compounded on
knife, the latest in months ple wounds sustained from mostly in stabbings, shoot- social media sites that glori-
of near-daily Palestinian as- a knife and axe attack in ings and attacks where fy and encourage attacks.
saults on Israeli forces and Maaleh Adumim, an Israeli Palestinians used vehicles Palestinians say it stems
civilians. settlement near Jerusalem. as weapons to ram into Is- from frustration at nearly
The military said a Pales- Police said an initial inves- raelis. five decades of Israeli rule
tinian brandishing a knife tigation indicates it was At least 167 Palestinians and dwindling hopes for
tried to stab soldiers on “most likely” a Palestinian were killed, most of them gaining independence. q
