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Syria conflict: Temporary truce comes into effect Syria conflict: Temporary truce comes into effect
(about 3 hours later)
The first major truce in Syria's five-year civil war has come into effect. The first major temporary truce in Syria's five-year civil war has come into effect.
The "cessation of hostilities" began at midnight (22:00 GMT Friday) with early reports suggesting that guns had fallen silent over major battlefields. The "cessation of hostilities" began at midnight (22:00 GMT Friday) with early reports saying front lines were silent.
UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said fighting had "calmed down" but one breach was being investigated.UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said fighting had "calmed down" but one breach was being investigated.
In the run-up to the deadline US President Barack Obama warned the Syrian government and its ally Russia "the world will be watching". In the run-up to the deadline, US President Barack Obama warned the Syrian government and its ally Russia "the world will be watching".
Russian jets were reported to have intensified attacks on Syrian rebel positions on Friday. The truce involves government and rebel forces, but not the so-called Islamic State group or the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.
But as the deadline passed monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said while some gunfire was heard in the northern city of Aleppo elsewhere it was quiet. More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed in Syria's civil war and millions more have been forced from their homes.
Mr de Mistura has said that peace talks will resume on 7 March if the truce "largely holds". A few hours after the deadline passed, a car bomb killed two people outside the government-held town of Salamiyeh, near Hama, Syrian state media reported. It is not clear who carried out the attack.
He added he had no doubt "there will be no shortage of attempts to undermine this process". The temporary halt in fighting appeared to be holding on Saturday morning, said the BBC's Mark Lowen, who is in the Turkish town of Gaziantep near the Syrian border.
"This will remain a complicated, painstaking process," he told the UN Security Council via videoconference from Geneva. Monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said while some gunfire was heard in the northern city of Aleppo as the deadline passed, elsewhere it was quiet.
But he added: "Nothing is impossible, especially at this moment." Mr de Mistura has said that peace talks will resume on 7 March if the truce "largely holds", adding that he had no doubt there would be "no shortage of attempts to undermine this process".
Previous talks in Geneva collapsed in early February after making no progress. Russia said it would continue to bomb militant targets. Russian jets were reported to have intensified attacks on Syrian rebel positions on Friday.
The UN Security Council has also unanimously adopted a resolution drafted by the US and Russia that endorsed the truce agreement. In the run-up to the truce, heavy attacks around Damascus and Aleppo were blamed on Russian airstrikes, but denied by Moscow.
It urges all sides to "use their influence with the parties to the cessation of hostilities to ensure fulfilment of those commitments". The cessation was brokered by the US and Russia, and is backed by a UN resolution. Previous talks in Geneva collapsed in early February after making no progress.
One of the key aims of the cessation - brokered by the US and Russia - is to allow desperately needed aid to reach people trapped in besieged areas. One of the key aims of the cessation is to allow desperately needed aid to reach people trapped in besieged areas.
The UN resolution names about 30 areas in dire need of aid, including eastern and western rural Aleppo and the eastern city of Deir al-Zour, which is under siege by so-called Islamic State (IS) jihadists.The UN resolution names about 30 areas in dire need of aid, including eastern and western rural Aleppo and the eastern city of Deir al-Zour, which is under siege by so-called Islamic State (IS) jihadists.
The truce involves government and rebel forces - but not IS or the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. On Friday, Nusra Front urged its supporters to intensify attacks against President Bashar al-Assad and his allies.
Almost 100 rebel factions have agreed to respect the truce, Syrian opposition umbrella group the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said.Almost 100 rebel factions have agreed to respect the truce, Syrian opposition umbrella group the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said.
The HNC warned the Syrian government and its allies not to use the "proposed text to continue the hostile operations against the opposition factions under the excuse of fighting terrorism". However, the HNC warned the Syrian government and its allies not to use the "proposed text to continue the hostile operations against the opposition factions under the excuse of fighting terrorism".
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his forces were targeting IS, Nusra Front and other extremist groups designated as legitimate targets by the UN Security Council. Russian President Vladimir Putin says his forces are targeting IS, Nusra Front and other extremist groups designated as legitimate targets by the UN Security Council.
However, Russia is widely accused of also attacking more moderate rebel groups fighting President Assad, an ally of the Kremlin.However, Russia is widely accused of also attacking more moderate rebel groups fighting President Assad, an ally of the Kremlin.
President Obama said the success of the cessation would depend on whether warring parties including the Syrian government, Russia and their allies lived up to their commitments. The battle for Syria and Iraq in maps
Attacks needed to end, he said, and humanitarian aid had to be allowed through to desperate civilians. Syria's civil war explained
"The coming days will be critical and the world will be watching," he added. Syria's civil war
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed in Syria's civil war and millions more have been forced from their homes. Why is there a war in Syria?
Anti-government protests developed into a civil war that four years on has ground to a stalemate, with the Assad government, Islamic State, an array of Syrian rebels and Kurdish fighters all holding territory.
What's the human cost?
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and a million injured. Some 11 million others have been forced from their homes, of whom four million have fled abroad - including growing numbers who are making the dangerous journey to Europe.
How has the world reacted?
Iran, Russia and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement are propping up the Alawite-led Assad government, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the more moderate Sunni-dominated opposition, along with the US, UK and France. Hezbollah and Iran have pro-Assad forces on the ground, while a Western-led coalition and Russia are carrying out air strikes.
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