Russia-US-brokered Syria cease-fire to start at sunset

Published September 13, 2016

In this photo released on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency, Syrian President Bashar Assad, sixth left, prays the dawn Eid al-Adha prayers at the Saad ibn Muaaz Mosque in Daraya, a blockaded Damascus suburb, Syria, Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. (Syrian Presidency via Facebook) (The Associated Press)

prev next

In this photo released on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency, Syrian President Bashar Assad, fourth right, prays at the dawn Eid al-Adha prayers at the Saad ibn Muaaz Mosque in Daraya, a blockaded Damascus suburb, Syria, Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. (Syrian Presidency via Facebook) (The Associated Press)

In this photo released on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency, Syrian President Bashar Assad, fifth left, prays at the dawn Eid al-Adha prayers at the Saad ibn Muaaz Mosque in Daraya, a blockaded Damascus suburb, Syria, Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. (Syrian Presidency via Facebook) (The Associated Press)

A cease-fire brokered by the United States and Russia is set to begin at sunset in Syria amid mixed messages of commitment from various rebel factions but with verbal backing by President Bashar Assad's government.

Assad made a rare public appearance on Monday, attending prayers for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha at a mosque in the suburb of Daraya, which surrendered last month after four years of government siege.

The cease-fire deal hammered out between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva last week allows the Syrian government to continue to strike at the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked militants, until the U.S. and Russia take over the task in one week's time.

Rebel factions have expressed deep reservations about the deal.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-us-brokered-syria-cease-fire-to-start-at-sunset