Syria Truce Holds Despite Isolated Clashes

A new nationwide cease-fire in Syria brokered by Russia and Turkey appears to be largely holding, despite reports of isolated clashes, a monitoring group has said.

The truce that came into force at midnight local time is the first nationwide halt in fighting since a weeklong cease-fire in September that collapsed after several incidents of violence.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said early on December 30 that while most of the country was calm overnight, “fierce clashes” took place between rebels and government forces in the northeastern province of Hama.

Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring group, told the AFP news agency, “Small rebel groups and armed loyalists are seeking to destroy the truce because it puts an end to their presence.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced on December 29 that the Syrian government and its opponents had signed the agreement on a nationwide cease-fire.

Putin said a document outlining measures to implement the cease-fire was also signed.

The cease-fire does not apply to combat against the extremist group Islamic State and the Al-Nusra Front, which now calls itself the Fateh al-Sham Front and says it is no longer affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

The announcement came days after Syrian government forces took full control of the northern city of Aleppo, forcing out rebels who had held the eastern part of the city since 2012.