DAMASCUS (Sputnik) – The ceasefire took effect at midnight on Saturday, Damascus time (22:00 GMT on Friday). It does not apply to terrorist groups operating in the country, such as Islamic State (ISIL) and al-Nusra Front (Jabhat al-Nusra).
Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire on February 22. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria on Friday.
"The Syrian army and its allies will continue to fight terrorism and go after terrorist organizations on the Syrian soil in accordance with the resolution," Jaafari told Sputnik, adding that Damascus intends to "pass on all information" related to possible ceasefire breaches in Syria.
UN Security Council Resolution 2268 "demands that all parties to whom the cessation of hostilities applies…fulfil their commitments" and urges members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) "to use their influence with the parties to the cessation of hostilities to ensure fulfilment of those commitments and to support efforts to create conditions for a durable and lasting ceasefire."
On Monday, the United States and Russia, the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, announced a plan for a ceasefire between the government forces and armed opposition groups in Syria.
According to UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, 97 armed groups in Syria, plus the government and all the major regional and international stakeholders have expressed willingness to accept the framework of the cessation of hostilities.
