Syrian Army to Maintain Ceasefire in Zabadani Despite Provocations

Syrian army troops, national militia, and fighters of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah will continue to maintain the ceasefire in the town of Zabadani, northwest of Damascus, and will not respond to the militants' provocations.

"As much as we may be provoked, we will not open the fire. We are interested in the fate of people in Kefraya and Fua. We tolerate their (terrorists) minor provocations in order for the humanitarian aid to reach the people in the above mentioned settlements", a source in the national militia told RIA Novosti on Sunday.

On Tuesday, a two-day ceasefire was declared to halt fighting between the Syrian insurgents and the army in the town of Zabadani near the Lebanese border, and in the settlements Kefraya and Fua in the Syrian northwestern province of Idlib. The truce came into force on Wednesday.

Early on Wednesday, militants of the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIL) violated the ceasefire, killing more than 10 people. The parties agreed to prolong a ceasefire until the Saturday morning, and on Saturday decided to run it until Sunday.

On Saturday, the militants from the Syrian Islamist groups the Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham resumed military operations in the town of Zabadani following a 54-hour ceasefire.

An Ahrar al-Sham’s spokesman was quoted by the local media as saying that a ceasefire was over, and that an alliance of rebel groups was preparing to escalate military operations in the area.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting anti-government rebels and radical Islamists, including the notorious ISIL terrorist group.
  (Sputnik)
16/8/15
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