Syrian govt agrees to truce deal

After five years of war, the civilian population of Syria can not sustain more, Egeland said.

Putin also spoke to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, giving “a detailed explanation of the proposals” of the U.S.-Russian plan. It is a stronghold of the Jaish al-Islam rebel group, which is represented in the main opposition alliance, and has been used as a launchpad for rocket and mortar attacks on Damascus.

He also said that the proposed truce has certain weaknesses, and underlined the significance of controlling Syrian borders and closely monitoring the ceasefire.

Both the US and Russian Federation are still targeting those groups with airstrikes.

Ahmad Fawzi says the deliveries to Moadamiyeh and Kfar Batna will follow other deliveries of aid to besieged areas of Syria in recent weeks.

Official Yerevan welcomes the U.S.-Russian agreement on ceasefire in Syria, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said in a statement on its official Facebook account.

SANA says the two leaders stressed the importance of continuing to fight the Islamic State, the Nusra Front “and other terrorist organizations”.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote Friday afternoon on a draft resolution endorsing the “cessation of hostilities” in Syria that is set to start at midnight local time.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with the country’s government fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, including Islamic State (Daesh), which is outlawed in many countries including the United States and Russian Federation.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday that Turkey would not be bound by the Syrian ceasefire plan if its security was threatened, and would take “necessary measures” against the Syrian Kurdish YPG and Islamic State if needed.

The draft, obtained by The Associated Press, also urges the United Nations secretary-general to resume Syria peace talks “as soon as possible”.

The statement said the government would stop armed operations but would “continue counter-terrorism efforts” against the Islamic State (ISIS) group, Al-Qaeda and affiliated groups.

Syria’s government, the political opposition and rebel groups as well as the Kurds have accepted the proposed cease-fire but reserved the right to respond to any violations.

Indirect peace talks between the Syrian government and HNC collapsed on February 3, because of a large-scale government offensive.

“But I can’t speak on behalf of the armed groups which, pre-emptively, announced that they are not willing to agree to the ceasefire”, said Ali Haidar, Syrian Minister of National Reconciliation.

In the rebel-held suburb of Daraya, opposition activists said the army escalated its attacks, dropping dozens of barrel bombs from helicopters on the devastated town located a few kilometres southwest of the Syrian capital, sending plumes of smoke rising into the sky.