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| Fragile Syria ceasefire enters second day | Fragile Syria ceasefire enters second day |
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| Syria’s fragile ceasefire has entered its second day with reports of scattered airstrikes and bombings, but overall the slowdown in fighting – regarded as the most successful effort yet to reduce the bloodshed in the five-year civil war – appeared to be holding. | |
| Warplanes, believed to be either Syrian or Russian, bombed seven villages in the provinces of Aleppo and Hama, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Several airstrikes hit central and northern Syria on Sunday, a monitor said. | Warplanes, believed to be either Syrian or Russian, bombed seven villages in the provinces of Aleppo and Hama, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Several airstrikes hit central and northern Syria on Sunday, a monitor said. |
| Related: Syrian ceasefire begins but US expecting violations | Related: Syrian ceasefire begins but US expecting violations |
| The Russian coordinating unit in Syria said there had been nine breaches of the ceasefire, although the partial cessation of hostilities appeared to be broadly intact. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitor, said one person had been killed in Aleppo province. | The Russian coordinating unit in Syria said there had been nine breaches of the ceasefire, although the partial cessation of hostilities appeared to be broadly intact. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitor, said one person had been killed in Aleppo province. |
| “[Saturday] was the first day that people could really go out and walk in the streets,” a Syrian opposition leader told Reuters. | “[Saturday] was the first day that people could really go out and walk in the streets,” a Syrian opposition leader told Reuters. |
| The US and Russia are monitoring the ceasefire from separate command centres. The two superpowers are responsible for deciding whether some attacks on either Islamic State (Isis) or the al-Nusra Front, two jihadi organisations excluded from the deal, are permissible. The two groups occupy at least half of Syria, but maps drawn up by the US and Russia do not show exactly the same territories that are excluded from the ceasefire. | The US and Russia are monitoring the ceasefire from separate command centres. The two superpowers are responsible for deciding whether some attacks on either Islamic State (Isis) or the al-Nusra Front, two jihadi organisations excluded from the deal, are permissible. The two groups occupy at least half of Syria, but maps drawn up by the US and Russia do not show exactly the same territories that are excluded from the ceasefire. |
| Both superpowers have accepted there will be contested ceasefire breaches, and the real test of the deal will be whether they can not only agree that a breach has occurred but also prevent a repetition. | Both superpowers have accepted there will be contested ceasefire breaches, and the real test of the deal will be whether they can not only agree that a breach has occurred but also prevent a repetition. |
| The aim is to strengthen the ceasefire, increase humanitarian access and build confidence before the resumption of peace talks in Geneva on 7 March. | The aim is to strengthen the ceasefire, increase humanitarian access and build confidence before the resumption of peace talks in Geneva on 7 March. |
| Both Russia and the US have posted tweets urging Syrians to report ceasefire breaches so that they can be investigated and adjudicated. | Both Russia and the US have posted tweets urging Syrians to report ceasefire breaches so that they can be investigated and adjudicated. |
| Much of the violence reported over the weekend involved battles between Isis and the Syrian Kurds operating under the banner of the YPG, People’s Protection Units. Both America and Russia hope the ceasefire will put additional pressure on Isis. | Much of the violence reported over the weekend involved battles between Isis and the Syrian Kurds operating under the banner of the YPG, People’s Protection Units. Both America and Russia hope the ceasefire will put additional pressure on Isis. |
| It was unclear whether the latest raids affected areas covered by the truce. According to Abdel Rahman, only one of the villages, Kafr Hamra in Aleppo province, is controlled by al-Nusra and the others are in the hands of non-jihadi rebels. | It was unclear whether the latest raids affected areas covered by the truce. According to Abdel Rahman, only one of the villages, Kafr Hamra in Aleppo province, is controlled by al-Nusra and the others are in the hands of non-jihadi rebels. |
| In Aleppo, Syria’s second city, Saturday night passed without any sound of fighting or air raids, a correspondent said. | In Aleppo, Syria’s second city, Saturday night passed without any sound of fighting or air raids, a correspondent said. |
| Related: Syrian militia groups set to reveal intentions over ceasefire | Related: Syrian militia groups set to reveal intentions over ceasefire |
| Faish al-Nasr, a group affiliated to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) which has backed the truce, said government forces had fired mortars, rockets and machine guns in Hama province and that warplanes had been a constant presence in the sky. | Faish al-Nasr, a group affiliated to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) which has backed the truce, said government forces had fired mortars, rockets and machine guns in Hama province and that warplanes had been a constant presence in the sky. |
| “Compared to the previous days it is nothing, but we consider that they broke the truce,” Mohamed Rasheed, head of the group’s media office, told Reuters. | “Compared to the previous days it is nothing, but we consider that they broke the truce,” Mohamed Rasheed, head of the group’s media office, told Reuters. |
| Another FSA-affiliated group, Alwiyat Seif al-Sham, said two of its fighters had been killed and four more wounded when government tanks shelled them in rural areas west of Damascus. | Another FSA-affiliated group, Alwiyat Seif al-Sham, said two of its fighters had been killed and four more wounded when government tanks shelled them in rural areas west of Damascus. |
| There is also a dispute between the Syrian government and the Americans whether al-Nusra is present in Daraya town in Damascus countryside. The Syrian government says the area is a legitimate target. | |
| A Syrian military source denied the army was violating the truce agreement. State media reported rocket attacks near Damascus and several deadly attacks by Isis. |