US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey Uphold Syrian Ceasefire 'Only to Buy Time'

Adhering to the ceasefire deal, brokered by Russia and the United States, is merely a "tactical step" meant only to "buy time" for some of the players involved in the deadly Syrian conflict, including the United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, international security analyst and political scientist Sait Yılmaz told Sputnik.

"There is no detailed framework for resolving the Syrian crisis. For this reason maintaining the truce is impossible," he added.

The ceasefire between Damascus and opposition forces came into effect late on Friday. The deal excludes Daesh, al-Nusra Front and other groups designated as terrorists by the United Nations.

Sait Yılmaz also mentioned that Syria's peaceful life was shattered by "efforts of several players, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey." They, according to the expert, are the ones who sparked the deadly conflict in a once stable nation and who could undermine the nascent peace process.

In this context, Ankara is of particular concern. On Monday, Lieutenant General Sergei Kuralenko, the commander of the Russian center on reconciliation in Syria, warned that Turkey was amassing forces on its border with the Arab Republic. These activities amount to "a provocation," which could derail the fragile ceasefire, he added.

Sait Yılmaz chastised Washington for its "Assad must go" stance, saying that the US leadership "should support this strong leader in order to find ways to resolve the crisis." At the same time, the analyst noted that this is not what Washington seems to be aiming at.

"Syria has never been a priority for the United States. The American strategy has been focused on Iraq, which is on the verge of collapse. … Ultimately, Washington wants to create a Kurdish energy corridor, control the regional balance of power and strengthen its own standing" in the Middle East, he observed.