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WORLD NEWS Saturday 31 december 2016

Syria’s cease-fire holding despite minor violations

BASSEM MROUE “The defeat of the terrorists
SUZAN FRASER in Aleppo is an important
Associated Press step toward ending the
BEIRUT (AP) — A nationwide war,” Assad said in an in-
Syrian cease-fire brokered terview with TG5, an Italian
by Russia and Turkey that TV station, adding that the
went into effect at mid- capture of the city does
night held Friday despite not mean that the war has
minor violations, marking a ended because “terrorists”
potential breakthrough in a are still in Syria.
conflict that has disregard- The United States was left
ed high-level peace initia- out of both agreements,
tives for over five years. reflecting the deterioration
The Britain-based Syrian Ob- of relations between Mos-
servatory for Human Rights cow and Washington after
reported clashes early Fri- the failure of previous diplo-
day between troops and matic efforts on Syria.
rebels in the central prov- Assad told TG5 “we are
ince of Hama and near the more optimistic, with cau-
capital, Damascus. It said tion,” about the incoming
that later in the day a man administration of President-
was killed by sniper fire in elect Donald Trump, who
eastern suburbs of Damas- has suggested greater
cus, becoming the first fa- cooperation with Russia
tality since the truce went Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim speaks to the media in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Dec. 30, 2016. against extremist groups.
into effect. The group also Yildirim said that he hoped that this cease-fire in Syria holds and turns into a lasting peace . “We can say part of the
reported an aerial attack optimism could be related
on the rebel-held Barada and Turkey, and the agree- At U.N. headquarters in U.N. especially wants to to better relation between
Valley near Damascus. ment has been welcomed New York, Russia’s U.N. Am- get aid to the 15 besieged the United States and Rus-
The Syrian army denied re- by Iran. Moscow and Teh- bassador Vitaly Churkin cir- areas where some 700,000 sia,” Assad said, speaking
ports it was bombarding ran provide crucial military culated a draft resolution people live, but it needs se- in English.
the Barada Valley region support to Syrian President that would endorse the curity guarantees from all “Mr. Trump, during his cam-
saying opposition claims Bashar Assad, while Turkey cease-fire agreement and sides “and we’re not given paign - (said) that his prior-
aim to show that the army has long served as a rear said he hoped for a vote them.” ity is fighting terrorism, and
is not abiding by the truce. base and source of sup- Saturday morning. But sev- “The reports I have from we believe that this is the
Opposition activist Mazen plies for the rebels. eral council members said the field is that there is a beginning of the solution,
al-Shami, who is based in If it holds, the truce be- they needed time to study decrease, a marked de- if he can implement what
the Damascus suburb of tween the Syrian govern- the agreement and the crease in fighting, in bomb- he announced,” Assad
Douma, said minor clash- ment and the country’s resolution so it wasn’t clear ing, in violence, compared said in the interview, which
es nearby left one rebel mainstream rebel forces when a vote would take to yesterday. But certainly was apparently filmed be-
wounded. Activist Ahmad will be followed by peace place. there’s been a number of fore the cease-fire was an-
al-Masalmeh, in the south- talks next month in Kazakh- U.N. humanitarian chief violations,” he said. nounced.
ern Daraa province, said stan, Putin said in announc- Stephen O’Brien urged the “January needs to be re- “I hope that this cease-
government forces had ing the agreement. He Syrian government in an ally different,” Egeland fire holds and turns into a
opened fire on rebel-held described it, however, as interview with The Associat- stressed. “If not — there lasting peace so that the
areas. “quite fragile” and requir- ed Press to give the green will be starvation, there will
Several past attempts at ing “special attention and light for the United Nations be untold, unnecessary deaths of more innocent
halting the fighting have patience.” to deliver aid to thousands deaths.” people, of civilians and
failed. As with previous Iran’s Foreign Minister in need in the war-ravaged The truce came on the children is halted and 2017
agreements, the current Mohammad Javad Zarif country and ensure aid heels of a Russian-Turkish brings calm,” Yildirim said.
cease-fire excludes both called the cease-fire a workers’ safety. agreement earlier this Turkey’s state-run Anadolu
the al-Qaida-affiliated Fa- “major achievement” in a He called the cessation of month to evacuate the last Agency meanwhile quot-
tah al-Sham Front, which tweet Friday. “Let’s build hostilities “extremely wel- rebels from eastern Aleppo ed the military as saying
fights alongside other rebel on it by tackling the roots of come” and said “incessant after they were confined to Russia carried out three air-
factions, and the Islamic extremist terror,” he added. and relentless contacts are a tiny enclave by a govern- strikes against Islamic State
State group. Russia said the deal was going on” with the govern- ment offensive. The retak- targets near the northern
Russian President Vladi- signed by seven of Syr- ment, but so far there has ing of all of Aleppo marked town of al-Bab, where Turk-
mir Putin said Thursday that ia’s major rebel factions, been no positive response. Assad’s greatest victory ish troops and allied Syr-
the cease-fire will be guar- though none of them im- Jan Egeland, Special Advi- since the start of the 2011 ian opposition forces have
anteed by both Moscow mediately confirmed it, sor to the U.N. Special En- uprising against his family’s been battling the extremist
and one denied signing it. voy for Syria, told AP the four-decade rule. group.q