![\"syria-truce-begins1\"](\"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Syria-truce-begins1-300x169.jpg\")
AFP, DAMASCUS: A nationwide ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by Turkey and Russia.<\/p>\nAFP, DAMASCUS: A nationwide ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by Turkey and Russia.<\/p>\n
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government and rebel forces were fighting in the Wadi Barada area, where opposition fighters have cut water supplies to the capital.<\/p>\n
A resident confirmed the sound of shelling in the area on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said it was unclear who had started the clashes, with both sides blaming the other.<\/p>\n
Syria\u2019s government had been shelling the area before the truce began at midnight as it pushes rebels there to accept a \u201creconciliation deal\u201d and leave the area.<\/p>\n
Among the forces present there is former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, which Syria\u2019s government says is excluded from the ceasefire.<\/p>\n
Opposition figures however say the truce applies to all opposition-held territory, even where Fateh al-Sham is present.<\/p>\n
Last week, rebels attacked water infrastructure in Wadi Barada and neighbouring Ain al-Fijeh, cutting supplies to the capital.<\/p>\n
Four million people in Damascus and its suburbs have now been without water for a week, the UN says.<\/p>\n
The clashes in Wadi Barada were the most serious of several isolated incidents of violence since the truce began.<\/p>\n
The Observatory reported early morning clashes in the central province of Hama between the government and jihadist fighters.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, AFP correspondents in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held area outside Damascus, and Idlib province in northwest Syria reported quiet.<\/p>\n
The ceasefire is the first nationwide truce to be implemented in the country since September, and is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakhstan being organised by Russia, Turkey and Iran.<\/p>\n
Syria\u2019s government hailed it as a \u201creal opportunity\u201d to find a political solution to the war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-regime protests in March 2011.<\/p>\n
It was also welcomed by key regime ally Iran as a \u201cmajor achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n
And despite being left out of the process, Washington also described the truce as a \u201cpositive development\u201d.<\/p>\n
Analysts were cautious but said the involvement of key regime backers Russia and Iran along with rebel supporter Turkey could be important.<\/p>\n
Sam Heller, fellow at The New Century Foundation, said there was \u201creal interest and urgency\u201d from Moscow and Ankara, but expressed doubts about whether Iran and Syria\u2019s government were on board.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll indications are that Iran and the regime want to continue towards a military conclusion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said renewed fighting in Wadi Barada or Eastern Ghouta near the capital could pose major threats to the truce.<\/p>\n
The agreement comes a week after the regime, which is backed by ally Russia, recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.<\/p>\n
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he would now reduce Moscow\u2019s military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting on behalf of the government since last year.<\/p>\n
But he added Russia would continue to fight \u201cterrorism\u201d and maintain its support for the government.<\/p>\n
Turkey\u2019s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also emphasised that Ankara would continue the operation it began in August targeting the Islamic State group and Kurdish fighters.<\/p>\n
Moscow says seven key rebel groups have signed up to the deal, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham faction, but the truce does not include jihadists such as IS or Fateh al-Sham.<\/p>\n
But Syria\u2019s political opposition and rebels said the truce applied to all parts of the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe agreement includes a ceasefire in all areas held by the moderate opposition, or by the moderate opposition and elements from Fateh al-Sham, such as Idlib province,\u201d said Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the National Coalition opposition body.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AFP, DAMASCUS: A nationwide ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by Turkey and Russia. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government and rebel forces were fighting in the Wadi Barada area, where opposition fighters have cut water supplies to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":29287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n