Syrian truce at stake

The US/Russian brokered ceasefire which expired at midnight on Monday has not been officially extended. A Syrian rebel official said the ceasefire had both ‘practically failed and ended.’ He also indicated that rebel groups are preparing for renewed military action.

The Syrian ambassador to the UN, Al Jafaari, issued scathing criticism of the US who broke the ceasefire on Saturday. He said: “This proves clearly the link between US troops and Daesh, and that Americans said it was just an error, this is clearly a lie. This was justified by the will to avoid the US-Russian (ceasefire) deal.”

The US insisted the airstrikes were a mistake whilst the Russian Foreign Ministry described them as “on the boundary between criminal negligence and direct connivance with Islamic State terrorists”.

Hopes the ceasefire would allow aid to reach besieged areas in Eastern Aleppo have diminished. Last week the Syrian regime and other armed factions blocked 20 UN aid trucks from entering the city.

Syrian families coming out from #SalahElDin neighborhood in eastern #Aleppo to seek refuge at government-held areas pic.twitter.com/3N5aXW6qOd— maytham (@maytham956) September 18, 2016