Syrian army ceasefire expires, no statement of extension

A seven-day ceasefire declared by the Syrian army expired at midnight, with no immediate announcement of its extension on Monday. The "regime of calm" was announced on Sept. 12 following a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia.

 

The truce has "practically failed and has ended" and there is no hope that aid will be delivered to rebel-held eastern Aleppo, a Syrian rebel official said.

 

"I believe that practically it has failed and has ended," said Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Aleppo-based group Fastaqim, adding that it remained to be seen if anything could be done "in theory" to save it.
 
Asked whether he expected aid to reach rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo, he said: "There is no hope. It has been a number of days of procrastination. Every day there is a pretext. There is no hope of aid being delivered currently."
 
Speaking to Reuters from the Turkish city of Gaziantep, he also indicated that rebel groups were preparing for new military action, saying "I imagine in the near future there will be action by the factions".

Both rebels and the government have accused each other of numerous violations of the ceasefire, the second this year.

In its statement announcing the "calm", the army had said it would expire at 11:59 p.m. (2059 GMT) on Sunday.