The United States and Russia, co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), on Monday announced a plan to effect cessation of hostilities in the conflict-ravaged Arab country at 00:00 Damascus time on February 27.
A joint statement said – after rounds of diplomatic discussions – also committed the U.S. and Russia to seeking a political settlement of the five-yea-long bloody civil war, said cessation of hostilities will be applied to those parties to the Syrian conflict that have indicated their commitment to and acceptance of its terms. The warring parties must express their willingness to cessation of hostilities by midday on Friday, February 26.
The halt in hostilities does not apply to “Daesh”, “Jabhat al-Nusra”, or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council. The latest announcement on Syrian war – which has claimed more than 260,000 lives and displaced millions of civilians – follows up on an earlier February 11, 2016 ISSG agreement in Munich.
The CNN reported Monday the Syrian opposition group, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, indicated its “preliminary approval to reach a temporary truce” but also called for guarantees that Russia, Iran and other sectarian militias would stop their violent campaigns.
The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the planned ceasefire. Government leaders in the region and Middle East experts expect difficulties in implementation of the plan as Syria has been staggering in the face of multiple conflicts involving several regional countries, their proxies and militant groups.
President Barack Obama in a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin welcomed the agreement towards a cessation of hostilities. A White House statement said Obama “emphasized that the priority now was to ensure positive responses by the Syrian regime and armed opposition as well as faithful implementation by all parties in order to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, galvanize UN-led political process, and focus on defeating ISIL.”
Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been spearheading U.S. diplomatic drive to secure Syrian peace, said “if implemented and adhered to, this cessation will not only lead to a decline in violence, but also continue to expand the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian supplies to besieged areas and support a political transition to a government that is responsive to the desires of the Syrian people.”
The conflict in Syria began in 2011, when inspired by the Arab Spring the people took to streets to press removal of Bashar al Assad. But the Assad regime reacted brutally to quell the movement for regime change and democratic rights. Subsequently, Iranian forces, Hezbollah and Moscow supported Assad in continuing his reign of state terror and repression. On the other side Syrian moderate forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, fought for Assad’s ouster.
The emergence of ISIS or Daesh militant outfit from the ashes of Iraq war, Baghdad’s sectarian politics under Iranian influence and the Syrian bloodshed, exacerbated the orgy of killings and devastation. In recent weeks, Russia and Assad regime, emboldened by a lack of international empathy for the suffering Syrian civilians, killed more than 500 people in besieged Aleppo town with their aerial bombardment. On Monday, ISIS claimed responsibility for the terrorist bombings that killed scores of people in Sayyidah Zaynab district of Damascus.
The conflict has shaken the Middle East with multiple ramifications. In recent months, as Russia ratcheted up its aerial bombing on Syrian civilians including West-backed political groups, Turkey has been flooded with refugees, while Europe has also seen an unprecedented influx of refugees from the country. The Obama Administration has been leading an international coalition campaign to destroy ISIS, which has drawn thousands of Muslims from the Western countries.
Monday’s joint statement said a pause in fighting would help create conditions for a political solution to the Syrian war, which has been a nightmare for women, children and families, who have left their homes to be at the mercy of other countries. Hundreds have perished at sea while crossing into Europe from Turkey.
“The United States and the Russian Federation together call upon all Syrian parties, regional states and others in the international community to support the immediate cessation of violence and bloodshed in Syria and to contribute to the swift, effective and successful promotion of the UN-facilitated political transition process in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254, the February 11 Statement of the ISSG, the 2015 Vienna statements of the ISSG, and the 2012 Geneva Communiqué,” the co-chairs said in the statement.
On seeking to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis with full respect for the fundamental role of the United Nations, Washington and Moscow said the two co-chairs of the ISSG are “fully determined to provide their strongest support to end the Syrian conflict and establish conditions for a successful Syrian-led political transition process.”
The transition process would be facilitated by the United Nations in order to fully implement the Munich Statement, UN resolutions and other earlier international agreements towards ending the deadly war.
Under the agreement, military actions, including airstrikes, of the Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, the Russian Armed Forces, and the U.S.-led Counter ISIL Coalition will continue against ISIL, “Jabhat al-Nusra,” and other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council.
“The Russian Federation and United States will also work together, and with other members of the Ceasefire Task Force, as appropriate and pursuant to the ISSG decision of February 11, 2016, to delineate the territory held by “Daesh,” “Jabhat al-Nusra” and other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council, which are excluded from the cessation of hostilities.”
The joint statement also declares that in order to promote the “effective implementation of the cessation of hostilities, the ISSG Ceasefire Task Force, co-chaired by the United States and Russia, has been established under UN auspices, including political and military officials from the co-chairs and other Task Force members.” The UN Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (OSE) serves as secretariat.
The Task Force will delineate the territory held by “Daesh”, “Jabhat-al-Nusra” and other terrorist organizations designated by the United Nations Security Council ; ensure communications among all parties to promote compliance and rapidly de-escalate tensions; resolve allegations of non-compliance; and refer persistent non-compliant behavior by any of the parties to the ISSG Ministers or those designated by the Ministers to determine appropriate action, including the exclusion of such parties from the arrangements of the cessation of hostilities, and the protection it affords them.
The United States and Russia also vowed to help develop “effective mechanisms to promote and monitor compliance with the ceasefire both by the governmental forces of the Syrian Arab Republic and other forces supporting them, and the armed opposition groups.”
As per the statement, Washington and Moscow will establish a “communication hotline” and, if necessary and appropriate, a working group to exchange relevant information after the cessation of hostilities has gone into effect.
