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| Syria’s cease-fire is working, at least for now | Syria’s cease-fire is working, at least for now |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| GAZIANTEP, Turkey — Syrians awoke Saturday to a rare day of calm as an internationally mandated cease-fire took hold across the country, bringing at least a temporary halt to the fighting for the first time in years. | GAZIANTEP, Turkey — Syrians awoke Saturday to a rare day of calm as an internationally mandated cease-fire took hold across the country, bringing at least a temporary halt to the fighting for the first time in years. |
| There were scattered reports of clashes and artillery fire along some of the front lines overnight, a car bomb killed two people in the province of Hama and aircraft dropped six barrel bombs on a front line near Idlib shortly before noon, according to the White Helmets civil defense group. | |
| But for the most part, Syrians were relishing the unusual tranquillity, and more than 12 hours after the truce went into effect, guns were almost completely silent nationwide. | But for the most part, Syrians were relishing the unusual tranquillity, and more than 12 hours after the truce went into effect, guns were almost completely silent nationwide. |
| “We have not experienced such a thing since the beginning of the revolution,” said Maj. Jamil al-Saleh, commander of the U.S.-backed Tajamu al-Izza brigade in the Hama province town of Latamneh. He and his men were taking advantage of the calm to clear the rubble from more than 50 airstrikes in the town over the previous 48 hours, conducted by Russian warplanes in a late blitz apparently aimed at securing maximum advantage before the truce went into effect. | “We have not experienced such a thing since the beginning of the revolution,” said Maj. Jamil al-Saleh, commander of the U.S.-backed Tajamu al-Izza brigade in the Hama province town of Latamneh. He and his men were taking advantage of the calm to clear the rubble from more than 50 airstrikes in the town over the previous 48 hours, conducted by Russian warplanes in a late blitz apparently aimed at securing maximum advantage before the truce went into effect. |
| There were no planes at all in the skies of the much-bombed city of Aleppo for the first time in days, and residents there were venturing onto the streets with newfound confidence, said Ameen al-Halabi, an activist living in a rebel-held neighborhood. | There were no planes at all in the skies of the much-bombed city of Aleppo for the first time in days, and residents there were venturing onto the streets with newfound confidence, said Ameen al-Halabi, an activist living in a rebel-held neighborhood. |
| “Today is so different,” he said. “People feel safe, and you can feel more life in the streets.” | “Today is so different,” he said. “People feel safe, and you can feel more life in the streets.” |
| Russia’s Defense Ministry told reporters in Moscow that the Russian air force had suspended airstrikes Saturday over Syria to facilitate the implementation of the two-week truce. But a ministry spokesman indicated that Russia might at some point soon resume bombardments against groups not covered by the cessation-of-hostilities agreement — the Islamic State and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra. | |
| The suspension of the strikes “does not mean that Daesh or Nusra Front terrorists may breathe freely. We are in control of the situation all across Syria,” said Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, in comments quoted by the Russian Sputnik news agency. | |
| Syrians expressed skepticism that the truce would hold. “Nothing has changed,” said Capt. Abdulsalam Abdulrazzak of the Noureddine al-Zinki rebel group, speaking from a front-line town west of Aleppo. “Russia and the regime consider the truce as a military tactic, not as a preparatory measure for a political solution.” | Syrians expressed skepticism that the truce would hold. “Nothing has changed,” said Capt. Abdulsalam Abdulrazzak of the Noureddine al-Zinki rebel group, speaking from a front-line town west of Aleppo. “Russia and the regime consider the truce as a military tactic, not as a preparatory measure for a political solution.” |
| For now at least, there is widespread relief that the bloodshed has stopped. “Overall there is a mood of surprise that attacks have reduced significantly,” said a statement from the White Helmets civil defense group. | For now at least, there is widespread relief that the bloodshed has stopped. “Overall there is a mood of surprise that attacks have reduced significantly,” said a statement from the White Helmets civil defense group. |
| On a call to the White Helmets team in the southern province of Daraa, one member on speakerphone said: “Can you hear that? It is the sound of birds singing.” | |
| The truce went into effect hours after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the temporary truce, which, it is hoped, will give new impetus to a wider peace effort aimed at ending the brutal conflict. | The truce went into effect hours after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the temporary truce, which, it is hoped, will give new impetus to a wider peace effort aimed at ending the brutal conflict. |
| “Let us pray that this works,” U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said in Geneva, after meeting with representatives of the countries sponsoring the accord. “Because, frankly, this is the best opportunity we can imagine that the Syrian people have had over the last five years . . . to see . . . something related to peace.” | |
| Among the many difficulties will be monitoring what the deal’s sponsors and participants call a “cessation of hostilities,” rather than a cease-fire, because it is not intended to offer a permanent solution. That, it is hoped, will emerge from peace talks aimed at securing a broader settlement. | Among the many difficulties will be monitoring what the deal’s sponsors and participants call a “cessation of hostilities,” rather than a cease-fire, because it is not intended to offer a permanent solution. That, it is hoped, will emerge from peace talks aimed at securing a broader settlement. |
| The United States and Russia, as co-chairs of a task force that includes 15 other governments supporting either the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or the armed opposition fighting against it, are primarily responsible for verifying breaches and containing them from afar. | The United States and Russia, as co-chairs of a task force that includes 15 other governments supporting either the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or the armed opposition fighting against it, are primarily responsible for verifying breaches and containing them from afar. |
| The two countries have established separate operations centers to investigate and adjudicate violation reports made to them by the parties on the ground or passed on by U.N. offices in Geneva and Damascus, the Syrian capital. These centers are in Washington and Amman, Jordan, for the United States; and Moscow and Latakia, Syria, for Russia. A hotline also has been established between the United States and Russia. | The two countries have established separate operations centers to investigate and adjudicate violation reports made to them by the parties on the ground or passed on by U.N. offices in Geneva and Damascus, the Syrian capital. These centers are in Washington and Amman, Jordan, for the United States; and Moscow and Latakia, Syria, for Russia. A hotline also has been established between the United States and Russia. |
| The United Nations has its own contacts on the ground, and “Russians and Americans do have their own antennas, which have been raised,” de Mistura said without offering further explanation of how the monitoring will be conducted. “The system needs to be given a case to be tested.” | The United Nations has its own contacts on the ground, and “Russians and Americans do have their own antennas, which have been raised,” de Mistura said without offering further explanation of how the monitoring will be conducted. “The system needs to be given a case to be tested.” |
| Any military response to a breach should be a “last resort,” he said, and “proportionate” to the initial offense. “We should not be surprised by breaches. What we need is to make sure it is contained.” | Any military response to a breach should be a “last resort,” he said, and “proportionate” to the initial offense. “We should not be surprised by breaches. What we need is to make sure it is contained.” |
| The United States and its allies in Europe and the region who are supporting various opposition groups will be responsible for reining in those groups’ combatants, presumably through diplomatic force or threats to withhold aid. Russia, which has been steadily bombing Assad’s opponents for months, is responsible for stopping its own attacks, those by Syrian government air and ground forces, and those by Iran-backed Shiite militias acting on Assad’s behalf. | The United States and its allies in Europe and the region who are supporting various opposition groups will be responsible for reining in those groups’ combatants, presumably through diplomatic force or threats to withhold aid. Russia, which has been steadily bombing Assad’s opponents for months, is responsible for stopping its own attacks, those by Syrian government air and ground forces, and those by Iran-backed Shiite militias acting on Assad’s behalf. |
| De Mistura said that if the cease-fire holds and a separate agreement gains steam to deliver humanitarian aid to areas that have been cut off from food and medicine by the fighting, he would call on the Syrian government and the opposition to restart peace talks March 7. | De Mistura said that if the cease-fire holds and a separate agreement gains steam to deliver humanitarian aid to areas that have been cut off from food and medicine by the fighting, he would call on the Syrian government and the opposition to restart peace talks March 7. |
| “There will be no shortage of attempts to undermine” the truce, he said in a video briefing to the Security Council. De Mistura plans to meet with the task force Saturday to assess early results. | “There will be no shortage of attempts to undermine” the truce, he said in a video briefing to the Security Council. De Mistura plans to meet with the task force Saturday to assess early results. |
| In a statement Friday, the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, known as the High Negotiations Committee, said that 97 opposition factions would observe the agreement for two weeks to gauge its effectiveness. The Assad government also issued a statement of compliance. | In a statement Friday, the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, known as the High Negotiations Committee, said that 97 opposition factions would observe the agreement for two weeks to gauge its effectiveness. The Assad government also issued a statement of compliance. |
| Under the agreement, reports of possible violations are to be transmitted by combatants to the outside operations centers via email, text message or telephone, leading to possible delays in adjudicating reported violations. | Under the agreement, reports of possible violations are to be transmitted by combatants to the outside operations centers via email, text message or telephone, leading to possible delays in adjudicating reported violations. |
| The agreement excludes the Islamic State and forces of Jabhat al-Nusra, whose fighters are interwoven with opposition groups in the Syrian northwest around Aleppo. Bombing campaigns by the United States will continue against the Islamic State, while Russia will continue to strike the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra. | |
| Washington and Moscow — which are barely speaking to each other outside of the Syria negotiations — exchanged maps Friday delineating where they think the excluded forces are located. In an audio statement, Jabhat al-Nusra leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani, a nom de guerre, urged fighters to “intensify strikes” against government forces. | |
| DeYoung reported from Washington. Zakaria Zakaria in Gaziantep contributed to this report. | |
| Read more: | |
| Vladimir Putin finds much to celebrate about Russia’s role in Syria truce | Vladimir Putin finds much to celebrate about Russia’s role in Syria truce |
| Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world |