Syrian Opposition Await Ceasefire Report Before Deciding on Further Talks

Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee (HNC) is waiting for results of the ceasefire implementation before deciding whether it will participate in further peace talks or not, HNC spokesman Riyad Agha told Sputnik on Sunday.

CAIRO (Sputnik) – UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Saturday that the talks on the Syrian peace, which began on on January 29 and were later postponed, would be resumed on March 7.

"We are observing the violations through a military commission and a network of observers. We await the results of the ceasefire to make a decision on participation in talks on March 7 in Geneva," Agha said in a telephone conversation.

The committee expressed hopes for a successful and lasting truce.

The HNC, which was created in Saudi Arabia in December and includes representatives of some groups considered to be terrorist organizations by Syria and Russia, is one of the opposition delegations participating in the UN-brokered talks on the Syrian settlement.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting against numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such Daesh, which is banned in a range of countries.

On February 22, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on February 27, Damascus time. It does not apply to terrorist groups operating in the country.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2268 endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria on Friday, shortly before the ceasefire came into force.