US State Dep't Hopes New ‘Silent’ Period in Syria to Be Open-Ended

The United States is hopeful that the recently brokered "silent regime" in Syria’s Latakia province and Damascus suburbs will be open-ended, a senior State Department official told journalists on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, a source told Sputnik that Russia and the United States had agreed to introduce state of cessation of hostilities in northern Latakia province and suburbs of Damascus in Syria from midnight on April 30.

Following the announcement, media reports emerged claiming that Aleppo would also be involved in the "silent period," but were refuted by a different source.

“As to how far, how long it would last, we obviously want it to continue to last. Let’s see how this goes. This is all something of a test obviously that we want to work and we are working hard to make sure that it works. Hopefully in the end it will be open-ended,” the official stated.

The Syrian General Staff has already confirmed that the 'silent' period has been implemented and that it will be in force for 24 hours in Damascus and its suburbs, and in Latakia and its suburbs for 72 hours.

The ceasefire in Syria, worked out by Russia and the United States, took effect on February 27 with terrorist groups not being part of the agreement.