Free Syrian Army Yet to Decide on Participation in Syrian Ceasefire Deal

Sputnik News

15:02 24.02.2016

Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels remain undecided about upholding the ceasefire agreement due to come into force on February 27, a senior source in the FSA said Wednesday.

DUBAI (Sputnik) – On Monday, Russia and the United States announced that an agreement on the cessation of hostilities between the Syrian government and armed opposition factions had been reached. The agreement excludes Daesh, the Nusra Front and other groups designated by the UN Security Council to be terrorist organizations and outlawed in many countries, including the United States and Russia.

'Discussions are still taking place among the units. In principle, we agree to a ceasefire on the basis of a serious political decision, but we want everyone to keep to the terms of the ceasefire, not just one side. If we keep to the ceasefire while Russian planes continue bombing us, that would be an unwise move by us,' the source told RIA Novosti.

According to the FSA source, the ceasefire agreement lacks international guarantees to ensure it becomes part of a political solution to the Syrian conflict. There are also no guarantees that the UN Security Council resolutions on ending the blockade of several cities by the Syrian army would be implemented, the source added, stressing that under such conditions fighting would continue despite the announced ceasefire.

On Tuesday, a commander in the Ahrar ash-Sham brigade, which is allied to the FSA, stated that the group would not stop its hostilities unless the Nusra Front were included in the ceasefire deal. The Syrian government stated on Tuesday that the fight against Daesh and the Nusra Front would continue, while expressing readiness to continue its coordination with Russia to determine the areas and armed groups that fall under the ceasefire deal.

On September 30, Moscow commenced airstrikes in Syria against Daesh and the Nusra Front, both outlawed on its territory, at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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