The United Nations Security Council is to vote today on a Russian resolution that would endorse the cease-fire agreement in Syria and reiterate support for a road-map to peace that starts with a transitional government. The draft resolution calls for rapid, safe and unhindered access to deliver humanitarian aid throughout the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced the ceasefire on Thursday after forging the agreement with Turkey, a longtime backer of the opposition.The ceasefire is meant as a first step towards fresh peace talks, after several failed international efforts this year to halt the conflict, which began as a peaceful uprising and descended into civil war in 2011.
Meanwhile, fighting between government and rebel forces has been reported in parts of Syria despite a nationwide truce coming into force early yesterday. UK based monitoring group,The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, has said there had been fierce clashes and air strikes in northern Hama province.