Russia announces unilateral ceasefire by Assad's forces in Idlib
Russia has announced a new unilateral ceasefire in the Idlib de-escalation zone. Syrian government forces will cease fire at 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 31, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria reported on Friday, August 30.
An agreement has been reached to stabilize the situation, the Russian military said, urging armed commanders to join the peace process in the areas under their control.
In September 2018, Russia and Turkey agreed on a ceasefire in Idlib. The agreement allowed to prevent the offensive by Syrian government forces, but the terms of the truce were never fully implemented. Since April, the Assad army, backed by Russian air force, has again begun an active offensive against jihadist and rebel positions in Idlib province.