U.S. Urges Syria Ceasefire Sides to Give Peace a Chance
Participants in a fragile ceasefire in Syria need to give peace a chance, U.S. officials said Sunday, following reports of truce violations on its second day.
"Setbacks are inevitable," the senior administration official said. "Even under the best of circumstances, we don’t expect the violence to end immediately. In fact, we are certain that there will continue to be fighting, in part because of organizations like ISIL and al-Nusra."
The ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Washington excludes territory held by the jihadist groups the Islamic State, also known as ISIL, and the al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra. The two groups together control more than half of Syria.
The Russian defense ministry said on Sunday that the ceasefire had been breached nine times over the past 24 hours, including by Turkey.
The violations were committed by moderate rebels as well as "terrorist organizations," the ministry said.
Others pointed the finger at Moscow.
Saudi Arabia on Sunday accused Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime and its ally Russia of ceasefire violations.
Syria's main opposition grouping also said on Sunday that it had recorded 15 violations by government troops and allied forces.
The senior administration official said "a lot of issues" involving the deal's various sides can only be addressed as the situation develops.
"This will be a difficult deal to implement, and we know that obstacles abound," the official said. "But it is in all of our interests, and especially the interests of the Syrian people, to give this process a chance. This is a real opportunity to reduce the violence the Syrian people have endured for far too long."
A State Department official said: "We are closely monitoring reports of violations to the cessation of hostilities. We are treating allegations seriously and urge all parties to continue to practice restraint.
The Russian military accused armed groups of attacking a Syrian town from Turkish territory overnight, adding that Moscow had demanded an explanation from the United States, which leads an anti-Islamic State coalition that includes Turkey.
Turkey has said it is not bound by the ceasefire deal -- which took effect from 2200 GMT Friday -- if its national security was threatened.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said that several air strikes hit central and northern Syria on Sunday.
Warplanes, believed to be either Syrian or Russian, bombed seven villages in the provinces of Aleppo and Hama, the monitor said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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