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| Partial Truce in Syria Is Said to Extend to Aleppo | Partial Truce in Syria Is Said to Extend to Aleppo |
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| BEIRUT, Lebanon — A new partial truce in the Syrian civil war has been extended to the divided city of Aleppo, officials from the United States, Russia and Syria said Wednesday after days of diplomacy by American and Russian envoys to halt catastrophic fighting there. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — A new partial truce in the Syrian civil war has been extended to the divided city of Aleppo, officials from the United States, Russia and Syria said Wednesday after days of diplomacy by American and Russian envoys to halt catastrophic fighting there. |
| But the details and duration of the partial truce — and whether it imposed new conditions on the Syrian government, insurgents or their international backers — remained murky. | But the details and duration of the partial truce — and whether it imposed new conditions on the Syrian government, insurgents or their international backers — remained murky. |
| The parties that negotiated it did not even agree on the precise timing. The State Department said the truce had begun at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, and Syrian state television said it would take effect at 1 a.m. on Thursday. | The parties that negotiated it did not even agree on the precise timing. The State Department said the truce had begun at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, and Syrian state television said it would take effect at 1 a.m. on Thursday. |
| Nor did their statements clarify the main disagreement between the United States, which backs some insurgents, and Russia, the most powerful ally of the Syrian government, over which rebel groups are fair game for government and Russian airstrikes. | Nor did their statements clarify the main disagreement between the United States, which backs some insurgents, and Russia, the most powerful ally of the Syrian government, over which rebel groups are fair game for government and Russian airstrikes. |
| The crux of the problem is that Nusra Front fighters, affiliated with Al Qaeda, are intermingled in parts of insurgent-held territory with rebel groups that have agreed to the partial truce. | The crux of the problem is that Nusra Front fighters, affiliated with Al Qaeda, are intermingled in parts of insurgent-held territory with rebel groups that have agreed to the partial truce. |
| Russia says those groups can therefore be targeted, while the United States has argued against Russia’s position. The American-backed rebels have been told to dissociate from all who are not part of the truce. But some rebels have said that is impractical. | Russia says those groups can therefore be targeted, while the United States has argued against Russia’s position. The American-backed rebels have been told to dissociate from all who are not part of the truce. But some rebels have said that is impractical. |
| Aleppo, the main hub of northern Syria, is a crucial battleground, split between government-controlled and insurgent-held territory. Nearly 300 people, mostly civilians, have died in renewed fighting there, with government airstrikes pummeling the rebel section and rebels shelling the other side. | Aleppo, the main hub of northern Syria, is a crucial battleground, split between government-controlled and insurgent-held territory. Nearly 300 people, mostly civilians, have died in renewed fighting there, with government airstrikes pummeling the rebel section and rebels shelling the other side. |
| The fighting has shattered a two-month respite provided by a partial cease-fire that tamped down the death toll across Syria, now in its sixth year of war. But the violence never ended entirely, especially amid sharp disagreements between Russia and the United States over what constituted a violation. The Nusra Front and the Islamic State were excluded from the deal. | The fighting has shattered a two-month respite provided by a partial cease-fire that tamped down the death toll across Syria, now in its sixth year of war. But the violence never ended entirely, especially amid sharp disagreements between Russia and the United States over what constituted a violation. The Nusra Front and the Islamic State were excluded from the deal. |
| In a statement, a State Department spokesman, Mark C. Toner, said that after an agreement on Friday to restore a truce in the Damascus suburbs and in the northern province of Latakia, Russia concluded arrangements late Tuesday “to extend this effort to Aleppo Province, including Aleppo city and its surrounding areas.” | In a statement, a State Department spokesman, Mark C. Toner, said that after an agreement on Friday to restore a truce in the Damascus suburbs and in the northern province of Latakia, Russia concluded arrangements late Tuesday “to extend this effort to Aleppo Province, including Aleppo city and its surrounding areas.” |
| “Since this went into effect today at 00:01 in Damascus, we have seen an overall decrease in violence in these areas, even though there have been reports of continued fighting in some locations,” Mr. Toner said. | “Since this went into effect today at 00:01 in Damascus, we have seen an overall decrease in violence in these areas, even though there have been reports of continued fighting in some locations,” Mr. Toner said. |
| But Syrian state television quoted the Syrian Army Command as saying that a cease-fire would apply in Aleppo starting at 1 a.m. on Thursday. The Russian defense minister, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, told the official Interfax news agency that the truce would last for 48 hours, through Friday. | But Syrian state television quoted the Syrian Army Command as saying that a cease-fire would apply in Aleppo starting at 1 a.m. on Thursday. The Russian defense minister, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, told the official Interfax news agency that the truce would last for 48 hours, through Friday. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia told Rossiya Segodnya, a state-owned news agency, that Russia, the United States and its allies, and the Syrian government had all agreed on terms for a cease-fire but that the Syrian government said “the opposition continues to shoot.” | |
| He said the United States had tried to define the territory of the truce “in such a way as to include a significant part of the positions held by the Nusra Front.” | He said the United States had tried to define the territory of the truce “in such a way as to include a significant part of the positions held by the Nusra Front.” |
| He added, “This was absolutely unacceptable, and at the end we managed to strike it down.” | He added, “This was absolutely unacceptable, and at the end we managed to strike it down.” |
| General Konashenkov, in a briefing for reporters visiting Russia’s air base at Latakia, in northwestern Syria, called the renewed commitment to the cease-fire a success in much of Syria. But he said attacks by the Nusra Front had obstructed the extension of the cease-fire to Aleppo. | |
| Broadly, though, he called Russian and American efforts to bring local groups of fighters into the cease-fire process a success. He said Russian negotiators had persuaded 52 opposition units of differing affiliations in 92 towns and villages to join. “These people lived together for thousands of years,” he said. “We need to get them back together.” | |
| At an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday afternoon, the under secretary general, Jeffrey Feltman, told diplomats that an agreement even on a “day of silence” in Aleppo — meaning a one-day truce — had proved “challenging.” | At an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday afternoon, the under secretary general, Jeffrey Feltman, told diplomats that an agreement even on a “day of silence” in Aleppo — meaning a one-day truce — had proved “challenging.” |
| Also appearing before the Security Council, the United Nations’ top relief official, Stephen O’Brien, chronicled attacks on an ambulance, two hospitals and two United Nations-supported primary health centers in the last two weeks. He singled out the Syrian government for denying permits to health workers to immunize children. | Also appearing before the Security Council, the United Nations’ top relief official, Stephen O’Brien, chronicled attacks on an ambulance, two hospitals and two United Nations-supported primary health centers in the last two weeks. He singled out the Syrian government for denying permits to health workers to immunize children. |
| Earlier in the day, in Geneva, Jan Egeland, a Norwegian diplomat who is a senior adviser to the United Nations relief effort in Syria, warned that thousands of Aleppo residents were at risk of siege. “Besiegement is worse in Syria than in any other place on earth,” he said. | Earlier in the day, in Geneva, Jan Egeland, a Norwegian diplomat who is a senior adviser to the United Nations relief effort in Syria, warned that thousands of Aleppo residents were at risk of siege. “Besiegement is worse in Syria than in any other place on earth,” he said. |
| Both the government and its armed opponents have carried out new offensives in the past two days, even as diplomats worked on the new truce. | Both the government and its armed opponents have carried out new offensives in the past two days, even as diplomats worked on the new truce. |
| Mr. Toner, the State Department spokesman, noted in his statement that there had been dozens of airstrikes by the government in the besieged Damascus suburbs on Wednesday morning, and called for a reaffirmation of the temporary truce there. | Mr. Toner, the State Department spokesman, noted in his statement that there had been dozens of airstrikes by the government in the besieged Damascus suburbs on Wednesday morning, and called for a reaffirmation of the temporary truce there. |
| At the same time, both Mr. Feltman and Mr. Lavrov singled out the Nusra Front for making it difficult to stop the fighting. | At the same time, both Mr. Feltman and Mr. Lavrov singled out the Nusra Front for making it difficult to stop the fighting. |
| Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, chided the opposition and its backers for not distancing themselves from the Nusra Front on the battlefield. “This has not occurred,” he said in the Council session. | Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, chided the opposition and its backers for not distancing themselves from the Nusra Front on the battlefield. “This has not occurred,” he said in the Council session. |
| On both sides of Aleppo, people cautiously welcomed a new pause in heavy fighting, but expressed doubts it could last. | On both sides of Aleppo, people cautiously welcomed a new pause in heavy fighting, but expressed doubts it could last. |
| Zakaria Malahifji, the political chief of an American-aided rebel group, said that in parts of Aleppo, the effects of the truce had already been felt. | Zakaria Malahifji, the political chief of an American-aided rebel group, said that in parts of Aleppo, the effects of the truce had already been felt. |
| “Airstrikes stopped today by 11 a.m.,” he said, adding that there were still skirmishes in some places, but no open battles. | “Airstrikes stopped today by 11 a.m.,” he said, adding that there were still skirmishes in some places, but no open battles. |
| “It is just the pressure by the international world that made the regime stop bombing, but this has been repetitive, and the regime will bomb again,” he said. | “It is just the pressure by the international world that made the regime stop bombing, but this has been repetitive, and the regime will bomb again,” he said. |
| Dr. Tahsin Martini, an ophthalmic surgeon in government-controlled western Aleppo, said the city was much quieter on Wednesday. | Dr. Tahsin Martini, an ophthalmic surgeon in government-controlled western Aleppo, said the city was much quieter on Wednesday. |
| But Dr. Martini was skeptical that the deal would amount to much more than a tactical pause between the belligerents. “We don’t see a lot of hope in these cease-fires,” he said by telephone. “On the other side, they are fanatics and the families of fanatics. The last cease-fire only gave them time to regroup and get more ammunition and arms, in order to hit us even harder than before.” | |
| The High Negotiations Committee, the Syrian opposition group in exile that objects to any political solution that includes President Bashar al-Assad, criticized the partial truce, saying in a statement that it should cover “all areas of Syria, not just select locations.” | The High Negotiations Committee, the Syrian opposition group in exile that objects to any political solution that includes President Bashar al-Assad, criticized the partial truce, saying in a statement that it should cover “all areas of Syria, not just select locations.” |
| “Our people deserve a relief from bombs of terror being rained on them by the regime; deserve to return to their homes in peace, and deserve a lasting solution to the bloodshed,” it said, “which means a Syria free of Assad.” | “Our people deserve a relief from bombs of terror being rained on them by the regime; deserve to return to their homes in peace, and deserve a lasting solution to the bloodshed,” it said, “which means a Syria free of Assad.” |