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Syrian Government Announces Truce Backed by Russia and Turkey Syrian Government Announces Truce Backed by Russia and Turkey
(35 minutes later)
MOSCOW — The Syrian government and its most important ally, Russia, announced on Thursday that they had reached a cease-fire agreement with Syrian rebels and with Turkey — a potential turning point in a civil war that has lasted nearly six years and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.MOSCOW — The Syrian government and its most important ally, Russia, announced on Thursday that they had reached a cease-fire agreement with Syrian rebels and with Turkey — a potential turning point in a civil war that has lasted nearly six years and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
The announcement follows the retaking of all of Aleppo, once Syria’s industrial capital and a stronghold of the opposition, by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, and negotiations in Moscow that involved Mr. Assad’s government, Russia, Iran and Turkey — but, pointedly, not the United States. It remained to be seen if the new cease-fire agreement would take effect and would hold, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia twice called it “fragile.” Previous attempts to quell the fighting, brokered under the auspices of the United Nations, have failed.
Not included in the agreement are the jihadists: the Islamic State, which controls territory in eastern Syria and across the border with Iraq; the Syrian affiliate of Al Qaeda, which is strongest in the country’s northwest; and “groups linked to them.” But the rebels’ loss of their stronghold in eastern Aleppo this month was a major blow to their movement to oust President Bashar al-Assad, leaving them with footholds in none of Syria’s largest cities. That may have left them more willing to compromise than before, while also giving Russia a chance to further consolidate Mr. Assad’s control through negotiations.
It was not clear which of the scores of rebel groups scattered across Syria had agreed to the cease-fire, nor whether those that had not been consulted would abide by it. Throughout the war, rebel forces have failed to form a united leadership, and infighting among groups has been common. If the agreement holds, it could pave the way for an Assad-controlled rump state along the main western ridge of the country, and potentially lead to a joint effort by Russia and the United States against Islamic State militants. But that is a big if, given the number of parties involved, the complexity of their competing interests and the scope of the fighting.
It was also unclear what criteria the Syrian military and its Russian allies would use to define groups “linked” to the jihadists. In the past, they have dismissed much of the armed opposition as “terrorists” who could not be distinguished from jihadist groups. The agreement announced on Friday lists seven rebel groups. Explicitly not included, according to a Syrian Army statement, are the jihadists: the Islamic State, which controls territory in eastern Syria and across the border with Iraq; the Syrian affiliate of Al Qaeda, which is strongest in the country’s northwest; and “groups linked to them.”
Russia, Mr. Assad’s backer, and Turkey, which supports some of the rebels, will guarantee the truce, set to begin at midnight on Thursday, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said. Minutes later, the Syrian military said it would halt operations nationwide starting at midnight. How to define groups “linked” to the jihadists will be a thorny issue, along with Turkey’s insistence that the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which backs Mr. Assad, withdraw from Syria.
The announcement followed days of negotiations that involved Mr. Assad’s government, Russia, Iran and Turkey — but, pointedly, not the United States. President-elect Donald J. Trump has called President Obama’s Syria policies a failure and has backed the removal of remaining support for Syrian rebels, vowing to make fighting terrorism virtually the entirety of his administration’s Syria policy.
Russia, Mr. Assad’s backer, and Turkey, which supports some of the rebel groups, will guarantee the truce, set to begin at midnight on Thursday, Mr. Russia said. Minutes later, the Syrian military said it would halt operations nationwide starting at midnight.
The two sides actually signed three agreements, Mr. Putin said: the cease-fire itself; an agreement detailing how it would be carried out; and a third expressing readiness to begin peace talks for a settlement to the conflict.The two sides actually signed three agreements, Mr. Putin said: the cease-fire itself; an agreement detailing how it would be carried out; and a third expressing readiness to begin peace talks for a settlement to the conflict.
Mr. Putin said that Mr. Assad’s government and the opposition would take part in peace talks in Kazakhstan, but he did not give a date.Mr. Putin said that Mr. Assad’s government and the opposition would take part in peace talks in Kazakhstan, but he did not give a date.
The Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, said that the truce would include 62,000 opposition fighters across Syria, and that the Russian military had set up a hotline with its Turkish counterpart to allow immediate communication about the truce and whether it was being met.The Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, said that the truce would include 62,000 opposition fighters across Syria, and that the Russian military had set up a hotline with its Turkish counterpart to allow immediate communication about the truce and whether it was being met.
In a brief statement, the Syrian Army said the cease-fire came “after the victories and successes that our armed forces accomplished in more than one place,” an allusion to the recent retaking of Aleppo by government forces and allied militias.In a brief statement, the Syrian Army said the cease-fire came “after the victories and successes that our armed forces accomplished in more than one place,” an allusion to the recent retaking of Aleppo by government forces and allied militias.
Mr. Putin and Mr. Shoigu referred at one point to seven rebel groups’ having signed on, though Moscow did not supply details. One list that was circulated by rebel leaders included Ahrar al-Sham, or Free Men of Syria, one of the largest rebel factions. Mr. Putin and Mr. Shoigu referred at one point to seven rebel groups’ having signed on, though Moscow did not supply details. One list that was circulated by rebel leaders included the rebel faction Ahrar al-Sham, or Free Men of Syria, and other groups that hold territory in northwestern Syria and east of the capital, Damascus.
Ahmad al-Saoud, a spokesman for a C.I.A.-backed rebel group, said in a telephone interview that meetings about the cease-fire were continuing in Ankara, the Turkish capital. Ahmad al-Saoud, a spokesman for a C.I.A.-backed rebel group that is included in the agreement, said in a phone interview that meetings about the cease-fire were continuing in Ankara, the Turkish capital.
It was not clear what criteria the Syrian military and its Russian allies would use to define groups “linked” to the jihadists. In the past, they have dismissed much of the armed opposition as “terrorists” who could not be distinguished from jihadist groups.
There were reports on Thursday of new aerial bombings in eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, but that was before the announcement in Moscow. Fifteen people were killed, including six children, according to a group that monitors the conflict.There were reports on Thursday of new aerial bombings in eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, but that was before the announcement in Moscow. Fifteen people were killed, including six children, according to a group that monitors the conflict.
The cease-fire agreement appeared to reflect the changed geopolitical reality since Donald J. Trump’s election as president of the United States. Mr. Trump has called President Obama’s Syria policies a failure and has backed the removal of remaining support for Syrian rebels, vowing to make fighting terrorism virtually the entirety of his administration’s Syria policy.
Mr. Assad has called Mr. Trump “a natural ally” in that fight, and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said on Thursday that Mr. Trump’s administration would be welcome to join the peace process after he starts on Jan. 20.Mr. Assad has called Mr. Trump “a natural ally” in that fight, and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said on Thursday that Mr. Trump’s administration would be welcome to join the peace process after he starts on Jan. 20.
“I would hope that, after the Donald Trump administration takes office, it will also be able to join these efforts,” Mr. Lavrov said at the meeting, shown on state-run television.“I would hope that, after the Donald Trump administration takes office, it will also be able to join these efforts,” Mr. Lavrov said at the meeting, shown on state-run television.
In Turkey, the government said that the Lebanese militia Hezbollah — which is backed by Iran and has sent thousands of fighters to battle with Mr. Assad’s forces — should withdraw from Syria. In Turkey, the government said that the Lebanese militia Hezbollah — which is backed by Iran and has sent thousands of fighters to battle alongside Mr. Assad’s forces — should withdraw from Syria.
The foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, told the Turkish news channel A Haber on Thursday that Turkey would guarantee rebel compliance with the cease-fire agreement, while Russia would guarantee adherence by Mr. Assad’s government. Iran would also help monitor compliance by Mr. Assad’s government and by allied Shiite militias, including Hezbollah, he said.The foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, told the Turkish news channel A Haber on Thursday that Turkey would guarantee rebel compliance with the cease-fire agreement, while Russia would guarantee adherence by Mr. Assad’s government. Iran would also help monitor compliance by Mr. Assad’s government and by allied Shiite militias, including Hezbollah, he said.