There is fresh but tentative hope for cessation of hostilities in Syria. United States, Russia and Syria have signed agreement to collectively target group known as ISIS. Their joint declaration will come into effect on Monday. There is mixed reaction around world to the latest initiative due to the failures of previous attempts at halting fighting over the past few years. Even with new 10-day truce being literally hours away, bombs continued to rain down in areas around capital Damascus. Syrian government air strikes on ISIS-held areas reportedly killed at least 82 people over weekend. At least 45 people died in strikes on Aleppo.
Most of major players in Syrian conflict responded positively to new ceasefire, despite the strained relations between Russia and USA. American official said: "This remains…the most promising way that we see in front of us to try to get this terrible situation to better place." US Secretary of State John Kerry said: "It is opportunity and not more than that until it becomes reality." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said US and Russia had agreed on zones in which joint "strikes against terrorists" would be conducted. Turkey and European Union welcomed it but warned that further action was needed. There has been no official reaction from Iran.
