Major western powers have agreed to a pause in combat in Syria. If implemented, the deal would allow humanitarian aid to reach the deceased terms. Civil war in Syria has killed 250,000 people, made 11 million homeless and sent hundreds of refugees to Europe. But many western countries have indicated that there is no hope of progress if Russia continues it’s bombing. Russia is helping President Bashar al-Assad in its fight with the rebel in Southern Syria. Assad has said that he will continue to fight terrorism while talks take place. The Russians are back by Lebanese and Iranian allies. They are also trying to seal the Turkish border which has been the lifeline for the rebel territory.
The cessation of hostilities agreement fall short of a formal ceasefire. It has not been signed by the main warring parties. US Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken of actions on the ground to implement the tentative agreement. Russia has however said that it may not stop its airstrike. Russian foreign Minister Sergei Labrov has said that Moscow would continue firing on the ISIS and a rebel group called the Nusra Front which is affiliated to Al Qaida. But the western powers say that Russia is targeting other insurging groups. NATO, Britain, and France feel that a deal can be reached only if Moscow stops bombing rebels other than the ISIS. The tangled global relations suggest that only the UN can end the civil war in Syria but then there is the Russian nyet.
