Syria truce begins under deal backed by Russia, Turkey

Syrian men mourn over the body of a relative at a makeshift hospital in the rebel-held town of Douma, on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, following reported air strikes on December 29, 2016. A ceasefire backed by Russia and Turkey has taken effect in Syria. AFP

DAMASCUS, Syria — A nationwide ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and Turkey took effect on Thursday at midnight, in a potentially major breakthrough in the conflict of more than five years.

The deal, which does not include designated “terrorists” like the Islamic State group, was announced hours earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the Syrian army and opposition.

Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said: “an hour before the truce started, all the fronts were calm with the exception of a few rockets targeting Aleppo city and two rockets falling in the suburbs of Damascus.”

The agreement, hailed by Syria’s government as a “real opportunity” to find a political solution to the war, comes a week after the regime recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.

Turkey and Russia had earlier brokered a deal to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo. CBB