Syria fighting rages as cessation deadline nears

If the “cessation of hostilities” holds it would be the first time a pause in Syria’s five-year civil war has been negotiated by world powers.

“Rebel leaders tell NPR they fear Russian Federation, which is backing the Syrian regime, will keep striking their positions under the claim that it is attacking an al-Qaida-linked group – Jabhat al-Nusra – that is not included in the deal”.

The Nusra Front on Friday rejected the cessation of hostilities in Syria and urged insurgents to intensify attacks against President Bashar al-Assad and his allies.

Meanwhile, United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Staffan De Mistura said Friday he planned to resume the intra-Syrian peace talks on Monday, assuming the cessation of hostilities holds.

“It’s tragic but unfortunately not surprising”, Stephane Dujarric told reporters Friday.

But hours before the agreement was set to take place, Syria’s branch of al Qaeda, one of its most powerful Islamist rebel groups, called for an escalation in fighting against the government and its allies.

The spokesperson for the Syrian opposition spoke to CNN’s Nic Robertson about the “cessation of hostilities” that goes into effect on Friday.

The council meeting was delayed by half an hour as the United States and Russian Federation engaged in last-minute negotiations on the text, diplomats told Reuters. A new “global engagement center” at the State Department will do more to expose members “as the murderers that they are”, he said.

The president further expressed hope that the “U.S. will understand the need for continuing with the operations against terrorist groups like Daesh”.

Syria’s top opposition grouping – the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC) – said Friday that 97 opposition factions had signed on “to respect a temporary truce”, but reiterated that it was only agreeing to an initial two-week period.

A map drawn up by the Russian defence ministry appeared to suggest Moscow’s bombing raids would continue to target much of northern Aleppo province, where an ongoing regime offensive has severed key rebel supply lines and left the shattered second city under threat of siege.

In response to a question on possible airstrikes on the YPG, Kalin said: “If there are threats we will take measures against them as part of our engagement rules”.

Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist in the southern city of Daraa, says the intense fighting across southern Syria suddenly stopped at midnight. As the midnight deadline approached, nearly 100 rebel groups said they would be laying down their guns for the duration of the ceasefire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his forces were targeting IS, Nusra Front and other extremist groups designated as legitimate targets by the UN Security Council. In the village of Lajat, in Daraa province, two people were wounded by government shelling, he says.