- Title: Syrians struggle to resume normal life amid shaky ceasefire
- Date: 19th July 2017
- Summary: DERAA, SYRIA (JULY 17, 2017) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STREETS IN CITY EXTERIOR OF A POULTRY SHOP MAN ENTERING POULTRY SHOP AND GREETING SHOP WORKERS POULTRY SHOP WORKER, MOHAMMED, CHECKING ON CHICKENS IN CHICKEN COOP VARIOUS OF MOHAMMED CLEANING SHOP EQUIPMENT VARIOUS OF MOHAMMED CHOPPING RAW CHICKEN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) POULTRY SHOP WORKER, MOHAMMED, SAYING: "After the ceasefire, we came here to fix the shop, we spent three days cleaning it, we removed the rubble and debris, we fixed some things, but it is still not great, the shop still needs work. People are coming back, it's good, I've sold around 30 chickens. People are cautious but they want to come back, if there were more shops open here more people would be back." VEGETABLES ON DISPLAY IN MAKESHIFT MARKET VARIOUS OF RESIDENT, ABU MOHAMMED, PUTTING GROCERIES IN A BAG ABU MOHAMMED GETTING GROCERIES WEIGHED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, ABU MOHAMMED, SAYING: "Things at this moment are good and peaceful. Everyone who is abroad, in Arab and foreign countries, all the refugees, we ask you to come back to your country, to your families, return in one piece, come back to rebuild and create foundation for your homes." VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS PEOPLE STANDING NEAR DAMAGED BUILDINGS VARIOUS OF MEN CLEARING RUBBLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, ABU ZAKARIA, SAYING: "All they keep telling us is that there is a ceasefire (audio of gunshot) where is the ceasefire? Listen. Did you hear that? When did they stop firing? This ceasefire is a fraud, they are making fools of the people, that's all. They are trading with our blood and the blood of the Syrian people. They are all conspiring against us." RESIDENT, ABU ZAKARIA, SITTING IN THE RUBBLE OF A DAMAGED BUILDING DAMAGED BUILDINGS (AUDIO OF GUNSHOTS IN DISTANCE) MAN CARRYING DEBRIS VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING AND SINGING NEAR RUBBLE AND DAMAGED BUILDINGS
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2017 11:10
- Keywords: Syrian ceasefire Deraa residents Syrian war Syrian life
- Location: DERAA, SYRIA
- City: DERAA, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QDRW45
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:In the southern Syrian city of Deraa, a hesitant quiet looms through the streets thanks to a shaky ceasefire brokered over a week ago.
The United States, Russia and Jordan reached a ceasefire and a "de-escalation agreement" earlier this month with the aim of paving the way for a broader, more robust truce.
The announcement came after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit of major economies in Germany.
Residents of Deraa are now reopening their shops and clearing the rubble out of their damaged homes, as they attempt to reclaim a sense of normalcy.
Mohammed, a teenager who works at a poultry shop in the city, said he spent three days cleaning up and fixing the store and is cautiously optimistic that more shoppers will return.
"We removed the rubble and debris, we fixed some things, but it is still not great, the shop still needs work. People are coming back, it's good, I've sold around 30 chickens. People are cautious but they want to come back, if there were more shops open here more people would be back," he said.
Another resident, Abu Mohammed, said he was eager to start rebuilding his city, which was badly damaged after years of consistent airstrikes and clashes, and urged others to do the same.
"Things at this moment are good and peaceful. Everyone who is abroad, in Arab and foreign countries, all the refugees, we ask you to come back to your country, to your families, return in one piece, come back to rebuild and create foundation for your homes," he said.
But some residents said that the ceasefire was not actually holding, and sporadic sounds of gunshots could be heard throughout the city.
Abu Zakaria, who was hoping to salvage some furniture from the rubble of his destroyed home, said the ceasefire was a charade.
"They are making fools of the people, that's all. They are trading with our blood and the blood of the Syrian people. They are all conspiring against us," he said, speaking over the sound of gunshots in the distance.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitoring group, said on Wednesday (July 19) that the ceasefire was mostly holding 9 days on, with minor infractions by government forces that targeted the northern province of the city. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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