"There is hope, but on one condition: that the American government and their allies put pressure on Saudi Arabia and Turkey to stop their militants on the ground from fighting and for Turkey to shut their borders," Sahiounie, on the ground in Latakia, tells Loud & Clear host Brian Becker.
"Turkey, they do what their master tells them," he adds.
While the Munich talks between world powers led to an agreed upon ceasefire, it remains unclear whether the Obama administration is truly invested in the agreement.
"[That’s] something that no one knows," Sahiounie says. "The Obama administration, if they’re serious about this, who knows.
"Let’s be honest, the Russians, when they say something, they do it," he adds. "But not the Obama administration. Until now, they never showed that they are serious."
While Sahiounie remains hopeful that peace will be implemented, the fact that a number of opposition groups on the ground seem unwilling to commit to the ceasefire.
He also describes the current situation in Latakia, where a city of 1 million people has ballooned to 3 million, as refugees flee the war-torn east.
"They stay in rented houses, or stay in tents. The Syrian government, as much as they can, have given them schools, giving them health and medicine…and the people of Latakia are trying to help them."
While most of Latakia may be safe, unrest remains rampant, as "moderate" rebel groups unleash havoc.
"A friend of mine, who is a journalist, was killed by those so-called moderate rebels. His only crime was that he was covering what’s happening," Sahiounie says. "And how was he killed? He was killed by those TOW missiles that were funded by America."
Similar attacks have been carried out against a number of journalists, including an RT news team following the downing of the Russian Su-24 in Syrian airspace.
"These people, it’s not about freedom or anything. These same people killed a guy and ate his flesh and liver. There’s videos of it on YouTube," he says. "They are killing journalists and killing innocent people when they shoot a missile on a college…
"That’s not how you get freedom, by shooting students."
With the ceasefire deadline approaching, Sahiounie offers his own message to Western people.
"Syria is not Saudi Arabia. Syria is a moderate country, it’s 10,000 years old. We are people of peace, and we are just asking for everyone around the world just to pray for Syria, and pray for the citizens of Syria, and pray for the Syrian Army to finish ISIS and the other terrorists groups.
"For the Western people to come and visit Syria and to come and see how beautiful Syria is," he says. "It’s destroyed, but it’s still beautiful."
