The Free Syrian Army (FSA) and mainstream rebel groups in Syria have said that they will no longer abide by the ceasefire deal unless the Assad regime ends a major offensive on their positions in the Daraya suburb of Damascus and in eastern Ghouta within 48 hours.
A statement released by the FSA on Sunday, signed by nearly 30 rebel groups operating across Syria, said the groups would deem the ceasefire as having “totally collapsed” if the assault by the Assad regime and allied Lebanese Hezbollah forces fighters did not stop within two days.
The signatories said that once the two-day period ends, the FSA fighters will respond with “all the legitimate means to defend the civilians living in these areas.”
In their joint statement, the FSA groups said that the continued attacks by the Assad regime on the besieged rebel-held areas around Damascus and their strongholds in the northern city of Aleppo and Idlib province were putting peace-making efforts at risk.
The Syrian Coalition said it supported the decision taken by the FSA groups regarding the cessation of hostilities, stressing the shared position of the FSA groups and full support for their demands without reservation.
The Coalition said that it “holds the Assad regime and its allies accountable for the collapse of the agreement and all the consequences thereof because they have violated the agreement without any serious international position.”
“The international community has failed in shouldering its responsibilities to provide appropriate mechanisms to implement international resolutions, so the cessation hostilities agreement turned to be a cover for continued crimes, as it has become clear for everyone,” the Coalition added.
The Coalition also said that it “salutes the rebels’ sacrifices and the heroes of the FSA and those factions who are committed to the aspirations of the Syrian people,” stressing that “the sons of the great revolution would remain the guardians of its goals and principles and committed to complete it until achieving the revolution’s demands of freedom, justice and dignity.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
