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| Syria conflict: Attacks reported as truce comes into effect | Syria conflict: Attacks reported as truce comes into effect |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The first major temporary 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 saying front lines were silent. | The "cessation of hostilities" began at midnight (22:00 GMT Friday) with early reports saying front lines were silent. |
| However, Syrian state media said several shells had hit residential areas of the capital, Damascus. It did not say who had fired. | However, Syrian state media said several shells had hit residential areas of the capital, Damascus. It did not say who had fired. |
| Low-level clashes have also been reported between rebel groups and government forces elsewhere. | Low-level clashes have also been reported between rebel groups and government forces elsewhere. |
| A special taskforce chaired by the United States and Russia is to meet in Geneva to monitor violations of the agreement. | A special taskforce chaired by the United States and Russia is to meet in Geneva to monitor violations of the agreement. |
| The truce involves Syrian government and rebel forces, but not the so-called Islamic State group (IS) or the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. | The truce involves Syrian government and rebel forces, but not the so-called Islamic State group (IS) or the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. |
| 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". |
| More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed in Syria's civil war and millions more have been forced from their homes. | More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed in Syria's civil war and millions more have been forced from their homes. |
| 'Halt to air strikes' | 'Halt to air strikes' |
| Russia halted air strikes at midnight on armed groups that had said they would abide by the temporary truce, a senior Russian defence official told reporters at a briefing in Moscow. | Russia halted air strikes at midnight on armed groups that had said they would abide by the temporary truce, a senior Russian defence official told reporters at a briefing in Moscow. |
| Russian warplanes have been grounded for the first day of the cessation to avoid hitting any wrong targets, military chief of staff Sergei Rudskoy said. | Russian warplanes have been grounded for the first day of the cessation to avoid hitting any wrong targets, military chief of staff Sergei Rudskoy said. |
| 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. IS is reported to have said it carried it out. | 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. IS is reported to have said it carried it out. |
| The temporary halt in fighting appeared to be holding on Saturday morning, reported the BBC's Mark Lowen from the Turkish town of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border. | The temporary halt in fighting appeared to be holding on Saturday morning, reported the BBC's Mark Lowen from the Turkish town of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border. |
| Reuters news agency later reported claims from rebel groups of attacks from government forces. | Reuters news agency later reported claims from rebel groups of attacks from government forces. |
| A spokesman from the Jaish al-Islam group said two barrel bombs were dropped on its positions in the eastern Ghouta, near Damascus. The group said it also exchanged fire with government troops. | A spokesman from the Jaish al-Islam group said two barrel bombs were dropped on its positions in the eastern Ghouta, near Damascus. The group said it also exchanged fire with government troops. |
| The First Coastal Division, part of the Free Syrian Army, says three fighters from an affiliated group, the Second Coastal Division, were killed in a ground attack in Latakia province. | The First Coastal Division, part of the Free Syrian Army, says three fighters from an affiliated group, the Second Coastal Division, were killed in a ground attack in Latakia province. |
| The claims could not be verified. | The claims could not be verified. |
| A Syrian military source quoted by Reuters said the Syrian army "did not commit any breaches" against the rebels. | A Syrian military source quoted by Reuters said the Syrian army "did not commit any breaches" against the rebels. |
| Further north, IS began an attack on the town of Tal Abyad, near the Turkish border, after midnight on Friday. | Further north, IS began an attack on the town of Tal Abyad, near the Turkish border, after midnight on Friday. |
| The US-led coalition launched air strikes to try to repel them, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It added that 45 IS militants were killed in the clash along with 20 Kurdish fighters. | The US-led coalition launched air strikes to try to repel them, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It added that 45 IS militants were killed in the clash along with 20 Kurdish fighters. |
| Under the terms of the cessation of hostilities, military actions - including air strikes - would continue again IS and the Nusra Front by forces of the Syrian and Russian governments, and the US-led coalition. | Under the terms of the cessation of hostilities, military actions - including air strikes - would continue again IS and the Nusra Front by forces of the Syrian and Russian governments, and the US-led coalition. |
| UN special envoy for Syria Staffan 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". | UN special envoy for Syria Staffan 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". |
| 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. | 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 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 IS. | 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 IS. |
| Almost 100 rebel factions have agreed to respect the truce, the Syrian opposition umbrella group the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) says. | Almost 100 rebel factions have agreed to respect the truce, the Syrian opposition umbrella group the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) says. |
| 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". | 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 says his forces are 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, over the course of its campaign in Syria, Russia has been widely accused of also attacking more moderate rebel groups fighting President Assad, an ally of the Kremlin. | However, over the course of its campaign in Syria, Russia has been widely accused of also attacking more moderate rebel groups fighting President Assad, an ally of the Kremlin. |
| The battle for Syria and Iraq in maps | The battle for Syria and Iraq in maps |
| Syria's civil war explained | Syria's civil war explained |
| Syria's civil war | Syria's civil war |
| Why is there a war in Syria? | 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. | 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? | 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. | 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? | 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. | 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. |