DoS Believes US Can Influence Syria Opposition to Observe New Truce Deal

The United States is convinced it can influence the Syrian opposition to adhere to the newly reached agreement on cessation of hostilities in Aleppo, US Department of State deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the US State Department announced that the United States and Russia had agreed to extend the Syrian ceasefire regime to Aleppo.

"I don’t have their immediate response to this latest reaffirmation today, but we are going into this believing that we can influence them to abide by it," Toner stated.

Rebel groups that are not part of Syrian ceasefire have mingled with the opposition in Aleppo and should be separated to allow the full implementation of ceasefire, Mark Toner said.

"There has been ‘intermingling’ of some of these groups," Toner stated. "We need to separate them, we need to clearly delineate who is where going forward in order for this cessation to take effect."

Russia and the United States brokered a "silent" period on Thursday to be implemented for 24 hours in the Damascus’ suburbs and for 72 hours in the northern Latakia province, starting at midnight on April 30.

Earlier in the day, the head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation said that the Russian military in Syria and their US colleagues have found an effective mechanism for ceasefire.

Asked if the United States has an agreement with Russia that it will put pressure on Damascus to abide by the deal, Toner said, “Yes, we have reached an agreement with Russia.”