A Russian and Turkish backed ceasefire that aims to end nearly six years of war in Syria and lead to a political process appears to hold, since it took effect over the weekend. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, announced the ceasefire on Thursday of last week, after forging the agreement with Turkey, a long-time backer of the Syrian opposition. Even though isolated incidents were reported of clashes between insurgents and government forces, claim still prevails in many areas. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, a number of rebel groups have signed the agreement, with several rebel officials acknowledging the deal while promising to abide by the truce. One of the leaders of the Free Syrian Army, Captain Amin, emphasized that the condition that the Western-backed groups accepted the agreement was that Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the al-Qaeda linked group formerly known as the Nusra Front, would also be included in the ceasefire, noting that some 90 percent of its militants were family related to moderate rebels.
“Most of the FSA brigades accept this deal and they have a main condition: to include the Eastern Ghouta, or the whole of it. Fateh al-Sham (Nusra Front) – 90 percent of its solders are the sons of our people, sons of the lands which they liberated with their blood. So it was necessary to keep the sons of our people from the fighters as we keep our civilian people,” Captain Amin, Free Syrian Army. “As the FSA, we are committed to this ceasefire to keep civilian people safe, but we are here in the frontline, ready in case the regime tries to break the ceasefire at any time. We think this ceasefire is a game but we are committed to it to keep civilian souls safe,” said Ahmed al Khaled, Free Syrian Army. The previous two ceasefires brokered by Cold War foes Washington and Moscow, took effect in February and September but both collapsed within weeks as warring sides accused each other of truce violations and fighting intensified. Only times will tell whether this ceasefire will hold, considering the significant gains the Syrian regime has made in recent week with the conquering of rebel-held Aleppo.