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Attacks Continue During Failed Holiday Truce in Syria In Syria, Failed Truce and No Lull in Violence
(about 5 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The declared four-day holiday truce between the warring factions in Syria ended on Monday much as it had begun — with airstrikes, artillery barrages and other firefights around the country that made a mockery of the cease-fire.BEIRUT, Lebanon — The declared four-day holiday truce between the warring factions in Syria ended on Monday much as it had begun — with airstrikes, artillery barrages and other firefights around the country that made a mockery of the cease-fire.
Even to the last, citizens caught up in violence held out hope for a brief lull. Even to the last moments, citizens caught up in violence held out hope for a brief lull.
“I told myself I should take advantage of this truce to go visit some relatives,” said a woman willing to be identified only by her nickname, Um Samer, 32. Instead, as she described via Skype, a walk down the street from her house in the Damascus suburb of Hajar al-Aswad was interrupted on Monday when a government missile slammed into a minibus about 200 yards away from her.“I told myself I should take advantage of this truce to go visit some relatives,” said a woman willing to be identified only by her nickname, Um Samer, 32. Instead, as she described via Skype, a walk down the street from her house in the Damascus suburb of Hajar al-Aswad was interrupted on Monday when a government missile slammed into a minibus about 200 yards away from her.
“I saw kids cut in pieces and a driver with half his body gone,” she said, horrified. “How is it that we don’t have any value? Are we not human like other people?”“I saw kids cut in pieces and a driver with half his body gone,” she said, horrified. “How is it that we don’t have any value? Are we not human like other people?”
That was just one of the attacks Monday in what activists called one of the worst days of air raids against the suburbs of the capital since the uprising began as a peaceful protest movement in March 2011. The strikes against Hajar al-Aswad left at least 10 people dead, eight of them in a minibus collective taxi, and many wounded, according to the Local Coordinating Committee and other opposition activists. That was just one of the attacks Monday in what activists called one of the worst days of air raids against the suburbs of the capital since the uprising began as a peaceful protest movement in March 2011. The strikes against Hajar al-Aswad left at least 10 people dead, 8 of them in a minibus collective taxi, and many wounded, according to the Local Coordinating Committee and other opposition activists.
The government also accused the opposition of violating the cease-fire in multiple places, including exploding a car bomb in Jaramana, a Damascus neighborhood that is home to various minorities who still back the government. At least six people were killed and 50 wounded by the bomb, said SANA, the official news agency. The government also accused the opposition of violating the cease-fire in multiple places, including exploding a car bomb in Jaramana, a Damascus neighborhood that is home to various minorities who still back the government. At least 6 people were killed and 50 wounded by the bomb, said SANA, the official news agency.
They were among scores of new victims of the violence during the putative lull. Clashes were reported scattered throughout the country from Deraa in the south to Deir ez-Zour in the east to the embattled northern city of Aleppo. Among other firefights in that city, Kurdish fighters in the neighborhood of Ashrafiyah continued to battle to prevent opposition militiamen from taking over their quarter. They were among scores of new victims of the violence during the putative lull. Clashes were reported scattered throughout the country from Daraa in the south to Deir al-Zour in the east to the embattled northern city of Aleppo. Among other firefights in that city, Kurdish fighters in the neighborhood of Ashrafiyah continued to battle to prevent opposition militiamen from taking over their quarter.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the envoy for the United Nations and the Arab League who tried to negotiate the truce, expressed disappointment that it had collapsed virtually from the start, although the fighting seemed to slow Friday. Lakhdar Brahimi, the envoy for the United Nations and the Arab League who tried to negotiate the truce, expressed disappointment that it had collapsed virtually from the start, although the fighting seemed to slow Friday. “I am terribly sorry,” Mr. Brahimi said at a news conference in Moscow, “that this appeal has not been heard at the level we hoped it would.” He will continue working to try to reduce the level of violence, he said, demanding greater international pressure on both sides in Syria.
“I am terribly sorry,” Mr. Brahimi told a news conference in Moscow, “that this appeal has not been heard at the level we hoped it would.” He will continue working to try to reduce the level of violence, he said, demanding greater international pressure on both sides in Syria.
Mr. Brahimi was visiting Moscow and Beijing, the main international backers of President Bashar al-Assad, ahead of presenting a plan to the Security Council next month toward a negotiated settlement. It will be based on an agreement that all five permanent members of the Security Council reached in Geneva last June.Mr. Brahimi was visiting Moscow and Beijing, the main international backers of President Bashar al-Assad, ahead of presenting a plan to the Security Council next month toward a negotiated settlement. It will be based on an agreement that all five permanent members of the Security Council reached in Geneva last June.
But as the lack of the cease-fire indicated, both sides seem convinced that they can still defeat the other militarily, which made any kind of lull unlikely. The Syrian government had announced on Thursday that it would halt military operations for four days at the start of Id al-Fitr, or the feast of sacrifice, which started Friday. The bulk of the opposition said it would respect the truce if the government did, although the extremist jihadist brigades who have gained a more visible role in recent months declared that they would not. But as the lack of the cease-fire indicated, each side seems convinced that it can still defeat the other militarily, which made any kind of lull unlikely. The Syrian government had announced on Thursday that it would halt military operations for four days at the start of Id al-Fitr, or the feast of sacrifice, which started Friday. The bulk of the opposition said it would respect the truce if the government did, although the extremist jihadist brigades who have gained a more visible role in recent months declared that they would not.
“The collapse of Mr. Brahimi’s truce — or, rather, the failure to abide by it — was only to be expected, especially since both sides did not have pure intentions,” wrote Al-Quds al-Arabi, an Arabic daily published in London, in an editorial Monday. “The regime wants to pursue its military solutions, and all the armed opposition factions believe that continuing to fight until the regime falls is the only way of achieving their aims.” “The collapse of Mr. Brahimi’s truce — or, rather, the failure to abide by it — was only to be expected, especially since both sides did not have pure intentions,” Al-Quds al-Arabi, an Arabic daily published in London, wrote in an editorial Monday. “The regime wants to pursue its military solutions, and all the armed opposition factions believe that continuing to fight until the regime falls is the only way of achieving their aims.”

Hania Mourtada and Hwaida Saad contributed reporting.

Hania Mourtada and Hwaida Saad contributed reporting.