The Syrian army declared a 72-hour ceasefire across the country coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr festival, marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The statement does not specify whether truce also applies to action against Islamic extremists but US secretary of state welcomes move
“A ‘regime of silence’ is applied across all territory of the Syrian Arab Republic for 72 hours from 1am on 6 July to midnight on 8 July” the army said on Wednesday in a statement republished by official media.
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, said he hoped the truce would last more than usually.
“We very much welcome the Syrian army declaration of 72 hours of quiet” Kerry told a news conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, adding that discussions were under way to try to extend the truce.
“We are trying very hard to grow these current discussions into a longer lasting … enforceable, accountable cessation of hostilities that could change the dynamics on the ground.”
There was no immediate indication whether rebel forces opposing the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, would abide by the truce.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Aleppo’s rebel-held eastern areas came under fire from government forces on Wednesday morning, according to residents and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A civilian was killed and several wounded in the eastern al-Mashhad district when artillery fire fell near a mosque hosting Eid prayers.