Damascus Hopes Russia, US Pressuring Resisting Sides to Uphold Truce

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Damascus hopes that Russia and the United States will succeed in persuading remaining armed rebel groups to uphold the ceasefire with the Syrian government that took effect in the early hours of Saturday, Syrian presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban said.

"We hope that Russia and the US will achieve results within the framework of the announced agreement, and influence resisting groups so that they could join the implementation of the ceasefire regime," Shaaban said in a televised interview on Russia’s Vesti v Subbotu weekly news program.

She expressed regret with the announcement by several terrorist organizations that they would not abide with the fledgling ceasefire because of the Nusra Front’s exclusion.

"The reality is that these groups interact closely, and in some areas you simply cannot distinguish one from another," Shaaban stressed.

Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria on February 22. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on Saturday Damascus time (22:00 GMT on Friday).

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2268 endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria on Friday, shortly before the ceasefire came into force. The cessation of hostilities does not apply to designated terrorist organizations operating in Syria, including Islamic State (IS) and the Nusra Front, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda.