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| Violence Down as Holiday Cease-Fire in Syria Largely Holds | Violence Down as Holiday Cease-Fire in Syria Largely Holds |
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| BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syria remained far quieter than it had been for a long time despite scattered clashes that flared on Friday as a temporary cease-fire marking the most important Muslim holiday of the year largely held at the beginning of its first day, according to rebel commanders and an organization that tracks the fighting from abroad. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syria remained far quieter than it had been for a long time despite scattered clashes that flared on Friday as a temporary cease-fire marking the most important Muslim holiday of the year largely held at the beginning of its first day, according to rebel commanders and an organization that tracks the fighting from abroad. |
| With the threat of violence diminished, protesters emerged onto the streets of cities and towns across the country. Syrian state television showed President Bashar al-Assad making a rare public appearance, attending the morning prayers for the start of the holiday, Id al-Adha, in a central Damascus mosque. There was no sound, but Mr. Assad was seen to be chatting amicably with other worshipers at the start of Id al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. | |
| The Syrian Army announced late Thursday that it would cease military operations from Friday to Monday in observance of the holiday. The announcement, read out on Syrian state television, made clear that the government reserved the right to respond to any military action or even resupply operation undertaken by rebel forces. | |
| The truce was likely to be tested repeatedly given the splintered nature of fighting across Syria, although the bulk of the opposition seemed to accept respecting it if the government did. The cease-fire was negotiated by Lakhdar Brahimi, the international envoy trying to inaugurate a peace process. | The truce was likely to be tested repeatedly given the splintered nature of fighting across Syria, although the bulk of the opposition seemed to accept respecting it if the government did. The cease-fire was negotiated by Lakhdar Brahimi, the international envoy trying to inaugurate a peace process. |
| Respect for the cease-fire was uneven, with some reports of fighting filtering in before and after the dawn prayers. Since there was no official deadline for the cease-fire to begin, and no monitors or outside enforcement, its start and stop times were somewhat ad hoc. | |
| Fighters in the northern city of Idlib, for example, said that it was quiet. But there were reports of clashes around a military base in northern Syria, and one neighborhood in the central city of Homs reported that it had been hit by six missiles. | Fighters in the northern city of Idlib, for example, said that it was quiet. But there were reports of clashes around a military base in northern Syria, and one neighborhood in the central city of Homs reported that it had been hit by six missiles. |
| The government, apparently anticipating street demonstrations, had stationed security forces near mosques who tried to break up some of the protests, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the violence from abroad. | The government, apparently anticipating street demonstrations, had stationed security forces near mosques who tried to break up some of the protests, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the violence from abroad. |
| It said three people were wounded by gunfire in a hamlet near Deraa, but activists reported in other places that the security forces had resorted to tear gas or that Shabiha, the plainclothes militia of government supporters, had been harassing men headed to prayers or to cemeteries to visit graves. | It said three people were wounded by gunfire in a hamlet near Deraa, but activists reported in other places that the security forces had resorted to tear gas or that Shabiha, the plainclothes militia of government supporters, had been harassing men headed to prayers or to cemeteries to visit graves. |
| Protests long suppressed by wrenching violence emerged onto the streets once again calling for Mr. Assad’s ouster and in some places for his execution. Although the uprising started as a peaceful protest movement in March 2011, the escalating carnage that has claimed tens of thousands of lives eventually drove the demonstrators indoors. | Protests long suppressed by wrenching violence emerged onto the streets once again calling for Mr. Assad’s ouster and in some places for his execution. Although the uprising started as a peaceful protest movement in March 2011, the escalating carnage that has claimed tens of thousands of lives eventually drove the demonstrators indoors. |
| Videos broadcast on YouTube showed protesters chanting antigovernment slogans in Hajar al-Aswad, for example, a southern Damascus suburb. The video could not be independently verified as having been made on Friday, but activists described similar scenes from around Aleppo in the north to Deir az-Zour in the east and Deraa in the south. | |
| Some of the chants at Hajar al-Aswad referred to recent reports of a split in the Alawite community, with a shootout apparently taking place on Sept. 29 between presidential relatives and his detractors in Qurdaha, President Assad’s hometown in the Alawite-dominated mountains above Latakia. | Some of the chants at Hajar al-Aswad referred to recent reports of a split in the Alawite community, with a shootout apparently taking place on Sept. 29 between presidential relatives and his detractors in Qurdaha, President Assad’s hometown in the Alawite-dominated mountains above Latakia. |
| As the Syrian protest movement has increasingly degenerated into a fight between the Sunni majority and the Alawite minority, there had been few cracks in the unity among the Alawites until that episode. | |
| “Come on Qurdaha, Come on Qurdaha!” protesters in Hajar al-Aswad chanted. | “Come on Qurdaha, Come on Qurdaha!” protesters in Hajar al-Aswad chanted. |
| Should the fighting stop or even slow, it will be the first time since April that the two sides diminished the tempo of the violence. That previous cease-fire, arranged by Mr. Brahimi’s predecessor, Kofi Annan, was not respected by either side, but the casualty toll dipped for several days. | |
| In announcing the cease-fire plan on Wednesday, Mr. Brahimi said that he hoped it could serve as a building block to something longer and more sustainable. | |
| The Syrian Army statement said that it would retaliate if the “terrorist groups” — its blanket description for all the armed opposition — carried out any kind of attack, tried to reinforce their positions or resupply their ammunition or if more foreign fighters infiltrated the country. | |
| One commander in the north, Arafat Mahmoud, said he suspected the Syrian Army was just trying to regroup after losing many checkpoints in the north, not to mention huge chunks of the city of Aleppo and other urban centers. | One commander in the north, Arafat Mahmoud, said he suspected the Syrian Army was just trying to regroup after losing many checkpoints in the north, not to mention huge chunks of the city of Aleppo and other urban centers. |
| “The regime is looking for an exit to get ammunition and food supplies,” he said via Skype. “All the regime’s tricks have been revealed, they want a cease-fire just to reinforce their bases.” | “The regime is looking for an exit to get ammunition and food supplies,” he said via Skype. “All the regime’s tricks have been revealed, they want a cease-fire just to reinforce their bases.” |
| A Western diplomat assigned to Damascus said that if there is even an attempt at respecting the cease-fire, it could be a sign that both sides are feeling beleaguered, squeezed militarily and looking for a break. | A Western diplomat assigned to Damascus said that if there is even an attempt at respecting the cease-fire, it could be a sign that both sides are feeling beleaguered, squeezed militarily and looking for a break. |
| It was not clear, however, that both are ready to accept the idea of a political settlement or if they just wanted to rearm. Until now, the government of Mr. Assad and the opposition have indicated that they wanted to overpower the other by force of arms rather than to negotiate. | |
| Several rebel commanders said that they wanted some of their conditions met in order to respect the truce, including the release of thousands of political prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid. | Several rebel commanders said that they wanted some of their conditions met in order to respect the truce, including the release of thousands of political prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid. |
| United Nations agencies, hoping that the truce will hold, had been making contingency plans for a massive delivery effort for humanitarian aid. Mr. Brahimi had stressed the delivery of aid in cities like Aleppo, Homs and Idlib was an important component of the truce. | United Nations agencies, hoping that the truce will hold, had been making contingency plans for a massive delivery effort for humanitarian aid. Mr. Brahimi had stressed the delivery of aid in cities like Aleppo, Homs and Idlib was an important component of the truce. |
| Even while rebel commanders said they were willing to consider a cease-fire, it was not a universal sentiment among the rank and file. “The regime has violated so many truces in the past that we are not going to budge,” said a fighter using his nickname, Abu Thabet, reached in an area of Ashrafiyah he said was liberated. | Even while rebel commanders said they were willing to consider a cease-fire, it was not a universal sentiment among the rank and file. “The regime has violated so many truces in the past that we are not going to budge,” said a fighter using his nickname, Abu Thabet, reached in an area of Ashrafiyah he said was liberated. |
| Any halt in the fighting would allow the regime to move swiftly to try to restore the upper hand, he said. | Any halt in the fighting would allow the regime to move swiftly to try to restore the upper hand, he said. |
| There are other groups like Jabhet al-Nusra, a band of Salafi-dominated fighters, who are outside the command structure of the Free Syrian Army. It circulated a statement on various militant Web sites saying that it completely rejected any truce. “There is nothing between us and them except the sword,” it said, referring to the regime. | There are other groups like Jabhet al-Nusra, a band of Salafi-dominated fighters, who are outside the command structure of the Free Syrian Army. It circulated a statement on various militant Web sites saying that it completely rejected any truce. “There is nothing between us and them except the sword,” it said, referring to the regime. |
| In a region appalled by the carnage in Syria, the cease-fire gave at least a vague hope that the guns could be stilled for a while. | |
| “After 19 months of daily killings and destruction, the Syrians deserve a chance to catch their breath, tend to their wounds, inspect their destroyed homes and property, and receive news from their families and loved ones,” wrote Urayb ar-Rintawi, a columnist for Jordan’s Ad-Doustour newspaper. “The Syrians deserve a space for hope.” | |
Hwaida Saad contributed reporting from Beirut, | Hwaida Saad contributed reporting from Beirut, and Rick Gladstone from New York. |