Scenes of calm in Syria as the UN confirms date for Geneva talks

By Catherine Hardy with Reuters

Published on 27/02/2016 - 10:30

The fragile truce means the Syrian government and its opponents are expected to cease fighting to allow peace talks to resume and aid to reach civilians.

Syria – 5 takeaways

The UN plans to resume Geneva talks on March 7
Ceasefire began midnight Syria time (2200 GMT)
Incidents reported in Damascus and Deraa, but calm quickly restored
Moscow suspends air strikes
Truce does not apply to ISIL or Nusra Front

The news

“We want to return + rebuild in anyway possible” – Syrians face challenge of rebuilding lives in Homs: pic.twitter.com/FdrP5cLbBs
— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) February 26, 2016

There is relative calm across Syria a few hours into a nationwide ceasefire.

The fragile truce means the Syrian government and its opponents are expected to cease fighting to allow peace talks to resume and aid to reach civilians.

Monitors reported isolated flare-ups of violence in the west of the country but calm was quickly restored.

UN talks to resume in Geneva

We are now at a crossroads & have the possibility to turn the page in the Syrian conflict – Staffan de Mistura #UNSC pic.twitter.com/eVK8LaFNfW
— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) February 26, 2016

UN-brokered peace talks will resume on March the 7th in Geneva.

UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura made the announcement to the Security Council by video-link from Switzerland:

“There are high chances that we should expect some hiccups, needs for adjustment, tensions and incidents.”

“The important point that we need to see is if those incidents will be quickly brought under control and contained. That is going to be the test.”

What they are saying

“I have informed the Secretary General and the Security Council that I plan to reconvene the suspended Geneva intra-Syrian talks on Monday the 7th of March on the assumption that there will not be any serious reasons to the contrary.” – UN Special Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, speaking to the UN Security Council in New York.

“It is a blessing that this river of blood in this country will stop. This country is ours. We have been obliterated. The blood being shed here is that of our children and our women. Life here is nothing like it was. How did this happen?”_ – Homs resident Abu Samer Al-Kardoun

Comments