Russian Federation announces nationwide Syria ceasefire deal

A cease-fire will take effect across much of Syria from midnight Thursday, the Syrian army announced.

Bassam Hijji, a spokesman for Nour al-Din al-Zenki brigade, said Russian Federation and the Syrian regime did not want the ceasefire to apply to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS), a group with links to al-Qaeda, or Jund al-Aqsa, another Islamist rebel group. The Syrian government, the “moderate” opposition, the Kurds and forces “on the ground” including armed opposition that aren’t part of terrorist groups will be invited, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said. That victory is likely to be seen as a milestone in Syria’s five-and-a-half-year war.

“The United States government is not supporting Daesh [an alternative acronym for IS]”.

The source also said if the cease-fire succeeds, political negotiations will start in the capital of Kazakhstan under Turkey and Russia’s guidance.

The Obama administration has responded to the allegations hurled by Erdogan. Lavrov said it’s possible that the USA will also back the accord after Donald Trump takes office as president next month.

At the press conference, Erdogan also invited Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join its meeting with Russian Federation and Iran in Kazakhstan next month.

But Ankara says it has received no support from the US-led coalition as its forces battle to retake the Islamic State (IS) held town of Al Bab, taking increasing casualties.

Ankara began turning from the USA to Moscow in August due to the failure of Turkey’s efforts to overthrow Assad and deadly bombings carried out by Islamic State operatives against high-profile Turkish targets.

Despite Erdogan’s accusations, the USA has recognized Turkey’s efforts in northern Syria, calling its efforts “very efficient, very successful”.

Putin, in his televised remarks, offered some caveats about the agreements, calling them “fragile and requiring special attention”.

The United States “did not create or support Daesh in the past”. While still operating in Syria, the coalition’s main focus at present is the fight to liberate Mosul, where it is supporting an Iraqi coalition of soldiers and militiamen to take back the ISIS bastion.