Syria rebels warn against truce violations
Shells reportedly hit neighborhoods in Damascus hours after ceasefire begins
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A Syrian rebel commander said Saturday his fighters have registered numerous government cease-fire violations and warns they could lead to the collapse of the agreement.
Lt. Col. Fares al-Bayoush, commander of the 1,300-strong Fursan al-Haq Brigade, a US-backed rebel faction, told The Associated Press that his group and others affiliated with the mainstream Free Syrian Army are so far abiding by the truce.
He said continued government breaches however will force rebel factions to retaliate.
He added, however, that the cease-fire brokered by the US and Russia which went into effect at midnight has sharply reduced government attacks across northern Syria where his group is based.
Meanwhile, a number of shells hit residential neighborhoods in the Syrian capital, the state news agency reported, hours after a ceasefire agreed by world powers began in the war-torn country.
Citing a military source, SANA said “terrorist groups” fired rockets from neighborhoods east of Damascus, but they did not report any casualties.
Earlier, Russia said it had grounded its warplanes in Syria to help secure the ceasefire. Lt.-Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the General Staff of Russia’s military said that while Russia will continue airstrikes against the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, it is keeping its aircraft on the ground for now “to avoid any possible mistakes.”
The Times of Israel Community.