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Rags, Tea and Advice as Syrians Fret Over Cease-Fire | Rags, Tea and Advice as Syrians Fret Over Cease-Fire |
(about 1 hour later) | |
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The weeklong vacation for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha is nearing an end, and the partial cease-fire that began on Monday night is showing signs of fraying. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — The weeklong vacation for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha is nearing an end, and the partial cease-fire that began on Monday night is showing signs of fraying. |
In the rebel-held eastern section of Aleppo, Abdelkafi al-Hamdo, a teacher and antigovernment activist, enjoyed the sunset Thursday with friends in an apartment overlooking the city. Hours later, Mr. Hamdo reported that “the truce is going bye-bye” — he said two people, including a friend of his, had been killed by government snipers early Friday morning. | In the rebel-held eastern section of Aleppo, Abdelkafi al-Hamdo, a teacher and antigovernment activist, enjoyed the sunset Thursday with friends in an apartment overlooking the city. Hours later, Mr. Hamdo reported that “the truce is going bye-bye” — he said two people, including a friend of his, had been killed by government snipers early Friday morning. |
Bombardments and clashes were reported in many provinces of Syria, with the government and opposition blaming each other for violating the truce, which was arranged by the United States and Russia. | |
“The sounds of explosions are very strong — explosions, gun clashes and ambulances,” said Abu Yaman, 50, who lives in a government-held district of Damascus. | “The sounds of explosions are very strong — explosions, gun clashes and ambulances,” said Abu Yaman, 50, who lives in a government-held district of Damascus. |
Also, aid deliveries promised under the agreement were still being held up at the border. | Also, aid deliveries promised under the agreement were still being held up at the border. |
At a meeting of his National Security Council in Washington on Friday to discuss the campaign against the Islamic State, President Obama told top advisers that he was deeply concerned that the Syrian government was continuing to block the flow of humanitarian aid, the White House said in an official account of the discussion. | |
Mr. Obama “emphasized that the United States will not proceed with the next steps in the arrangement with Russia until we see seven continuous days of reduced violence and sustained humanitarian access,” the statement said. | |
Below, Syrians in government controlled cities and rebel-held areas share their thoughts, experiences, videos and photos — and their doubts — as the cease-fire entered its fourth full day on Friday. | Below, Syrians in government controlled cities and rebel-held areas share their thoughts, experiences, videos and photos — and their doubts — as the cease-fire entered its fourth full day on Friday. |
Samsam, 26, an aid worker in the government-held section of Aleppo, ventured out into the western part of the city on Thursday. She asked to be identified by her nickname — it means “sesame” in Arabic — because she was not authorized by the government to speak to foreign reporters. | Samsam, 26, an aid worker in the government-held section of Aleppo, ventured out into the western part of the city on Thursday. She asked to be identified by her nickname — it means “sesame” in Arabic — because she was not authorized by the government to speak to foreign reporters. |
Abu Marwan, 55, a gas station worker in Damascus, loaded his wife, son, two married daughters and their families into his small white truck on Thursday and drove to Tishreen Park. They spread out a carpet in a shady spot under a tree and arranged a picnic of olives, yogurt, stewed beans and pickled eggplant, and set up pots to cook tea and coffee. Mr. Marwan smoked from his water pipe and chatted over tea. | Abu Marwan, 55, a gas station worker in Damascus, loaded his wife, son, two married daughters and their families into his small white truck on Thursday and drove to Tishreen Park. They spread out a carpet in a shady spot under a tree and arranged a picnic of olives, yogurt, stewed beans and pickled eggplant, and set up pots to cook tea and coffee. Mr. Marwan smoked from his water pipe and chatted over tea. |
Ali, 28, a government worker who would give only his first name out of fear of talking to a reporter without permission from the government, was sitting under a small tree in a corner of the park, drinking soft drinks with his fiancée. They wanted some privacy from her family. | Ali, 28, a government worker who would give only his first name out of fear of talking to a reporter without permission from the government, was sitting under a small tree in a corner of the park, drinking soft drinks with his fiancée. They wanted some privacy from her family. |
Indeed, the cease-fire doesn’t cover attacks on the Islamic militants of the Qaeda-allied Nusra Front or Daesh, another name for the Islamic State. And the internecine conflict and Syria’s history of failed cease-fires have many civilians worried that this week’s minor reprieve will not last. | Indeed, the cease-fire doesn’t cover attacks on the Islamic militants of the Qaeda-allied Nusra Front or Daesh, another name for the Islamic State. And the internecine conflict and Syria’s history of failed cease-fires have many civilians worried that this week’s minor reprieve will not last. |
Jalal al-Telawi, 36, a computer technician and an activist in Waer, the last rebel-held enclave in the central city of Homs, said he was growing anxious. He endured two years in the Old City besieged by government forces before finding refuge in Waer. | Jalal al-Telawi, 36, a computer technician and an activist in Waer, the last rebel-held enclave in the central city of Homs, said he was growing anxious. He endured two years in the Old City besieged by government forces before finding refuge in Waer. |
Mr. Telawi said he wondered how long he and his family could survive in Syria, recalling his father’s predictions in 2011, when the uprising began. | Mr. Telawi said he wondered how long he and his family could survive in Syria, recalling his father’s predictions in 2011, when the uprising began. |
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