- Title: Civilians in rebel-held Azaz react to the Syria ceasefire deal
- Date: 29th December 2016
- Summary: AZAZ, SYRIA (DECEMBER 29, 2016) (REUTERS) STREET VIEW TRAFFIC ON STREET STREET VENDOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, AHMAD NAHEL, SAYING: "We are with the ceasefire, so that the opposition can reorganise themselves after a difficult time, and we hope that this will benefit the opposition, to reorganise themselves and begin a new phase, God willing.'' TRAFFIC WITH SYRIA FLAG SYRIA FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, MOHAMAD MALEK SAYING: "We are against the ceasefire that has been signed by the factions, on the contrary the factions need to realign their ranks, so that they can re-enter Aleppo, and continue with the revolution. We hope that the countries who have helped the factions, I consider it to be a failure, helping the factions to fail in Aleppo, or now with what is going on in the Ghouta. They need to return to be united in their ranks.'' PEOPLE IN STREET VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, AMMAR MOHAMAD SAYING: ''Of course this ceasefire that the regime, and Russia with Turkey are doing is to kill the Syrian revolution, and for the regime to return to power, and to begin anew, and to kill everything called the Syrian revolution. And to put all the factions in one place so as to create problems and divisions between them, so that they kill themselves without anything being done by the regime.'' VARIOUS OF STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, MOHAMAD KEPA SAYING: ''I'm completely against it, 100 percent, and the brigades that are united in the ceasefire will not be united in war, they will be divided. I'm against the ceasefire, because our main aim was to get rid of Bashar al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad will remain.'' STREET PEOPLE IN STREET FRUIT STALL IN STREET
- Embargoed: 13th January 2017 17:17
- Keywords: Syria Azaz ceasefire rebels opposition
- Location: AZAZ, SYRIA
- City: AZAZ, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0015EXSSHZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Residents in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz gave a mixed reaction to the ceasefire announced earlier on Thursday (December 29) by Russia, Turkey and Syria.
A spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, a loose alliance of rebel groups, said it would abide by the ceasefire, due to come into force at 2200 GMT Thursday, and take part in future talks.
The truce was also supported by the Turkish-based Syrian National Coalition opposition group.
In Azaz, in territory held by Turkish backed rebels, opinions among those who spoke to Reuters varied.
One man saw it as an opportunity for rebel forces to regroup, while another wanted to see a rebel attempt to retake Aleppo.
Yet another said the deal brokered by Syria, Russia and Turkey would "kill everything called the Syrian revolution. And to put all the factions in one place so as to create problems and divisions between them, so that they kill themselves without anything being done by the regime'.
Another resident said the deal defeated the main aim of the revolt, "to get rid of Bashar al-Assad".
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the ceasefire between Syrian opposition groups and the Syrian government starting at midnight local time on Thursday.
The parties were also prepared to start peace talks, Putin said, after Moscow, Iran and Turkey expressed readiness to broker a deal to settle the nearly six-year-old Syrian war.
The Syrian army announced a nationwide halt to fighting but said Islamic State and ex-Nusra Front militants and all groups linked to them would be excluded from the deal. It did not say which unnamed groups would be excluded.
The current deal does not involve the United States or United Nations.
Putin said opposition groups and the Syrian government had signed a number of documents, including the ceasefire, measures to monitor the truce, and a statement on readiness to start peace talks.
The Free Syrian Army said the ceasefire also does not include the Kurdish YPG militia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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