Syria Truce: De Mistura Hails Significant Drop in Violence
Local Editor
24 hours have passed on Syria's ceasefire, driving UN's envoy to the country to applaud a "significant drop" in violence. However, he feared that security concerns meant aid convoys stayed on hold.
The truce brokered by Russia and the United States began at sundown on Monday, in the latest bid to end a conflict that has killed more than 300,000 people since March 2011.
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said reports reaching his office indicated "a significant drop in violence", in a rare respite in Syria's devastating conflict.
De Mistura noted isolated reports of conflict persisted, especially on Monday night, but that by sunrise on Tuesday the broad picture was positive.
The envoy said he had "no information about any UN trucks moving at this stage", demanding "assurances that the drivers and the convoy will be unhindered and untouched".
In second city Aleppo, reporters in both the militant-held east and the army-held west reported nearly 24 hours had passed without air strikes or rocket fire.
Meanwhile, residents taking advantage of the lull in violence to mark the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday.
Damascus accused the opposition of a series of violations, with Moscow saying that the Syrian army were fully respecting the truce but that militants had violated it 23 times.
"Syrian government troops have completely stopped firing" except in terrorist-held areas, but "the same cannot be said for armed units of the moderate opposition controlled by the US", said
Viktor Poznikhir, a senior Russian military officer.
The lull in violence was a rare respite for residents of the war-ravaged country, where more than half the population has been displaced.
The deal is the latest in a succession of attempts to end the war in Syria.
It calls for the truce to be renewed every 48 hours, and immediate humanitarian aid access, particularly to civilians living under siege.
Damascus warned, meanwhile, that all aid going to Aleppo, particularly assistance sent by Turkey, must be coordinated with it and the United Nations.
Russia said its troops had been deployed on the key Castello Road running from Turkey into Aleppo that is to become a demilitarized zone under the deal.
If the ceasefire holds for a week, Moscow and Washington will then begin an unprecedented joint campaign to target terrorists, including Daesh [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist "ISIS"/ "ISIL" group] and former al-Qaeda affiliate Fatah al-Sham Front.
Russia said De Mistura could invite government and opposition representatives to new peace talks "at the very beginning of October".
But there is still deep skepticism about whether the truce will last, with the opposition yet to officially sign on.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
