Turkey, Russia agree on ceasefire plan for all of Syria – Report

Turkey and Russia have agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire covering all of Syria, Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Wednesday. The proposal is now expected to be submitted to the warring parties in the Syrian conflict, Anadolu reported. The ceasefire should come into force as soon as midnight (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, […]

Turkey and Russia have agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire covering all of Syria, Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Wednesday.

The proposal is now expected to be submitted to the warring parties in the Syrian conflict, Anadolu reported.

The ceasefire should come into force as soon as midnight (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, but terrorist organizations would be excluded, the report said.

Russia has repeatedly demanded that the so-called moderate opposition in Syria split from organizations designated as terrorists by the United Nations, such as those linked to al-Qaeda.

Russia and Turkey are planning to host talks in January in the Kazakh capital Astana between the representatives of the Syrian opposition and the government.

Russia supports the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey supports the opposition.

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran met last week in Moscow where they agreed to act as guarantor powers for a peace accord between the Syrian government and the opposition.

Months of bilateral tension after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in November 2015 have eased significantly in recent months.

Turkish troops have for days engaged in fierce fighting with Islamic State fighters in the battle to liberate the northern Syrian town of al-Bab.

On Tuesday evening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the US-led coalition of not doing enough to fight Islamic State, even going so far as to accuse the coalition of supporting terrorist groups. (DPA)