Russia claims rebel violation in ‘calm’ Syria

A Syria ceasefire billed as the “last chance” for peace appeared to be holding on its first full day on Tuesday with residents across the country reporting a quiet night and anxious for aid.

However, Russia said that Syrian regime forces are fully respecting a ceasefire but rebel fighters had violated it 23 times. Moscow is one of the main backers of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and has been flying a bombing campaign in support of his forces for the past year.

“Syrian government troops have completely stopped firing with the exception of areas where Islamic State and Jabhat Al-Nusra fighters are active,” senior Russian military officer Viktor Poznikhir said in a televised briefing. “Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for armed units of the moderate opposition controlled by the US. After the start of the cessation of hostilities by this morning 23 instances of

firing on residential areas and government positions were registered.”

In televised briefings from various locations around Syria, Russian military observers said that rebel violation had taken place in the provinces around Aleppo, Latakia, Damascus, Hama, Idlib and Daraa.

The truce, brokered by Russia and the US, saw guns fall silent at sundown on Monday with the next anticipated step being urgent relief deliveries to desperate civilians. In Aleppo — a key battleground in recent weeks — AFP correspondents in both the rebel-held east and the government-held west reported the night had passed without air strikes or rocket fire.

Residents remained out on the streets until midnight taking advantage of the lull in fighting to celebrate the first day of the Muslim Id-al-Adha holiday.

However, a Russian military officer said that “new violations” had also occurred around Aleppo during the day. As the televised briefing cut to a military monitor by the key Castello Road into Aleppo—a crucial supply route for humanitarian aid which has been under Syria regime control—gunfire broke out and the Russian officer dived for cover.

US secretary of state John Kerry told reporters in Washington that it was “far too early to draw conclusions” about the success of the ceasefire.