Syrian ceasefire begins but US expecting violations

A fragile, temporary and partial cessation of hostilities has come into force inSyria after 97 fighting groups, as well as the Syrian government and Russian air force, signed up to a ceasefire.

The United Nations security council on Friday unanimously demanded that all parties to the civil war in Syria complied with the terms of the US-Russian deal which took effect at midnight as Friday turned to Saturday local time.

UN Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura, briefing the security council by satellite from Geneva, warned that there would be breaches of the ceasefire and all sides had to be prepared to deal with them in a sober way, and work to identify the cause of the breaches. He said that Saturday would be critical, adding he had “no doubt there will be no shortage of attempts to undermine this process”.

“This will remain a complicated, painstaking process,” he told the council. But he added that “nothing is impossible, especially at this moment.” He said that any military response to the cessation of hostilities would be a “last resort” and “proportionate”.

He also confirmed he will seek to convene peace talks lasting three weeks on 7 March in Geneva.

The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, attacked the Russians for continuing to ramp up military attacks hours before the ceasefire.

She warned: “Let us be real. It is going to be extremely challenging to make this work, especially at the outset.”

But, in a passionate address, she added: “If this collapses we lose the most tangible opportunity to relieve the suffering.” She added that everyone at the top of the UN had become broken records, demanding the violence end. “Even a partial de-escalation would make a real difference in the lives of Syrians,” she added.

Large areas of Syria will be excluded from the ceasefire, according to the maps being issued by both US and Russian sources on Thursday and Friday, due to the Russian insistence that the Syrian government and Russian air force be able to continue attacks not only against Islamic State but also the Syrian franchise of al-Qaida, al-Nusra Front.