Erdogan says Syrian cease-fire works ‘partially’

Syria’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday the Syrian government had consented to observe a cessation of hostilities as agreed upon by the US and Russian Federation.

But the rise of the Islamic State group, which has seized large parts of the war-torn country, has led the Kurds to become implicated in several battles against the jihadists.

Attacks on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or the al-Qaeda aligned Jabhat al-Nusra would not violate the ceasefire agreement as neither are signatories.

The fragile cease-fire went into effect at midnight but scattered violence and clashes continue.

“We’re all aware of the many potential pitfalls, and there are plenty of reasons for skepticism”, Obama said. “It is not in our nation’s interests to continue these tensions”, he said.

Destroyed buildings are seen in the old city of Homs, Syria, …

The report says heavy fighting was ongoing to reopen the road to Aleppo city. “People were excited and once the referee blew his whistle all the noise stopped”.

A top aide to Turkey’s president says Saudi military aircraft that will join the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria have begun arriving at an air base in southern Turkey.

Bayoush said it was normal for violations to take place in any truce but the other side should halt them if it was serious about the agreement.

“The Russian Center has turned to the US Reconciliation Center in Amman for explanations over the shelling of the Syrian territory by Turkey, which is a member of the US-led anti-IS [Islamic State] coalition”, he said.

In recent weeks, the Turkish military has shelled YPG positions in northern Syria in response to artillery fire from YPG forces based around Azaz in Aleppo province.

United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura aims to relaunch peace talks on March 7 if the ceasefire lasts and more aid is delivered.

Russian Federation and the United States have set a deadline of midnight today for the temporary cease-fire to take effect between the Syrian government and opposition forces.

“I don’t know how to put it any better than saying: ‘It’s put up or shut up time, ‘” Toner told reporters, adding it was time for Russian Federation to demonstrate through actions, rather than words, that it is committed to the ceasefire plan for Syria. “Therefore the Russian Air Force is continuing airstrikes against these global terrorist groups’ targets as usual”, clarified Defense Ministry spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov.

There was no immediate confirmation of the Russian report from Turkey.

IS meanwhile launched two suicide attacks near the central town of Salamiyeh, one on an army checkpoint that killed two and wounded four. The Sunni extremist group views Shiites as heretics.

The YPG’s statement on Saturday alleged that IS fighters had attacked the Syrian Kurdish town of Tal Abyad – close to the Turkish border – on two fronts.

The YPG, which is almost in control of Syria’s entire northern border with Turkey, has been fighting against Daesh Takfiri terrorists.

Speaking to ARA News in Tel Abyad, YPG spokesman Hebun Osman said that scores of Kurdish fighters were killed and injured during the attacks.