Rebels, Washington wary as Syria mulls truce

SYRIA: Syria was due on Thursday to announce whether it will accept a ceasefire during a Muslim holiday this weekend, but rebels and Washington remained wary of any commitment from Damascus.

Russia backed up peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi’s assertion on Wednesday that the Damascus regime was ready to observe a truce during the four-day holiday of Eid al-Adha that begins on Friday, while rebels said they would cease fire if regime troops did so first.

A truce, if observed by both sides, would mark a significant breakthrough in the 19-month conflict in which more than 34,000 people have died, according to figures of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

AFP