Ibrahimi: Syria agrees on Ceasefire during Eid al-Adha

Local Editor

The Syrian government and a number of rebel leaders have agreed to a ceasefire during this week's Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, International Peace envoy al-Akhdar Ibrahimi said in Cairo on Wednesday.

However, Syria's foreign ministry announced that a final decision on Ibrahimi's proposal for a truce during the four-day holiday that begins on Friday had yet to be taken.

"The Syrian government has agreed to a ceasefire during the days of Eid," Ibrahimi said after meeting Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi.

In parallel, he added that "most" rebel leaders contacted said they would observe a truce, but did not specify if this included commanders of the main rebel group, the so-called "Free Syrian Army".

"If we succeed with this modest initiative, a longer ceasefire can be built on it in order to discuss a longer and more effective ceasefire and this has to be part of a comprehensive political process," Ibrahimi said.

According to the peace envoy, Syria's government would officially announce its acceptance by Thursday. He did not give a precise time period for the ceasefire

"The army command is studying the cessation of military operations during the Eid holiday, and the final decision will be taken tomorrow," said a ministry statement issued in Damascus.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org