- Title: Syrians in Jordan not hopeful of ceasefire
- Date: 30th December 2016
- Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (DECEMBER 30, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STREET TRAFFIC SYRIAN MAN, MALIK AL HAFEZ, WALKING DOWN FROM A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE HAFEZ TALKING TO ANOTHER MAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN MAN LIVING IN JORDAN, ORIGINALLY FROM DAMASCUS, MALIK AL HAFEZ, SAYING: "I welcome the ceasefire agreement and the halt of military operations, but to be honest there's no optimism because the situation in Syria requires more actions, and I think the international situation is not suitable for a real implementation of this halt. I welcome the ceasefire any time, but I don't think it'll have a positive impact on the ground. From day one we're already seeing a breach of the ceasefire, and this is expected." VARIOUS OF SYRIAN WOMAN, UM FIRAS, MAKING COFFEE IN HER HOME UM FIRAS TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN WOMAN LIVING IN JORDAN, ORIGINALLY FROM DAMASCUS, UM FIRAS, SAYING: "This is something that has been designed by powerful countries. From that perspective, if God is willing, let Syrian opposition take advantage of that stance and finish the war for the sake of Syria and resolve (the conflict) through negotiation, if God is willing." A NEIGHBOURHOOD IN AMMAN SYRIAN MAN, HUSSAM QASSAS, SPEAKING TO ANOTHER MAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN MAN LIVING IN JORDAN, ORIGINALLY FROM DARAYA, HUSSAM QASSAS, SAYING: (ROUGH TRANSLATION) "The Syrian regime is the one who has the language of blood, the language of destruction, the language of war, while the Syrian opposition and the Syrian people go out (in protest) in a peaceful way and are faced by fire from the regime. Any ceasefire, if it is serious, must end the existence of the regime inside Syria. (The ceasefire) is definitely in favour of the Syrian people, but the absence of a real guarantee makes it a political game to gain more time." VARIOUS OF STREET TRAFFIC
- Embargoed: 14th January 2017 13:50
- Keywords: Syria ceasefire Amman Jordan Russia Turkey peace talks
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0015F2SE2V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Syrians living in the Jordanian capital of Amman shared their opinions on a newly-agreed ceasefire in their war-torn homeland.
A Russian- and Turkish-backed ceasefire that aims to end nearly six years of war in Syria and lead to peace talks appeared to hold on Friday (December 30). But the truce was tarnished by clashes since it took effect at midnight.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced the ceasefire on Thursday after forging the agreement with Turkey, which has backed the opposition.
A Syrian man who moved from Damascus to Amman three years ago, said he welcomed the ceasefire but didn't have high hopes about its impact.
"The situation in Syria requires more actions, and I think the international situation is not suitable for a real and ongoing implementation of this halt," Malik al Hafez said.
Monitors and a rebel official reported clashes almost immediately after midnight (2200 GMT Thursday) between insurgents and government forces along the provincial boundary between Idlib and Hama, and isolated incidents of gunfire further south.
Less than 12 hours later, Syrian government forces and their allies clashed with rebels in a strategic valley northwest of Damascus, and helicopter gunships carried out air raids in the area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Government warplanes then carried out air strikes in northern Hama, the monitor said.
Syrian woman Um Firas said the Syrian opposition must "take advantage of that stance and finish the war" and resolve the conflict through negotiation.
Another Syrian man blamed Assad's government for the conflict and said the truce was just a ploy to "gain more time".
Calm still prevailed in many areas included in the deal, monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and rebel officials said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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