So-called "de-escalation zones" have come into effect in parts of Syria, but conflicting reports have emerged about their impact. Monitoring groups say government forces continue to shell opposition-held towns.
Image: picture-alliance/Zuma Press/K. Almasri
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Relative calm prevailed Saturday in some parts of Syria after a deal signed by President Bashar al-Assad's backers - Russia and Iran - and rebel supporter - Turkey - to create four "de-escalation zones" came into effect at midnight on Friday.
The aim of the agreement is to reduce violence amid the ongoing six-year war in the Middle Eastern country that has left more than 400,000 people dead and millions displaced.
Russia: Syria safe zones to be closed to US planes
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The United States was not party to the deal, whereas Syrian rebels rejected the agreement saying it lacked legitimacy. The opposition was also vocally against the participation of Iran, which it accused of fueling sectarian violence in the conflict.
Conflicting reports
According to the AFP news agency, only sporadic skirmishes and shelling occurred on Saturday in parts of the country that are included in so-called "safe zones."
But the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Assad's forces continued to target rebel positions in the opposition-held town of al-Latamana in central Syria.
Government forces also shelled opposition-controlled neighborhoods near the capital Damascus.
But Observatory chief, Rami Abdel Rahman, said that overall "violence was sharply reduced in the areas covered by the deal."
A spokesman for the Pentagon said Friday the "safe zone" plan wouldn't impact the US fight against the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) terrorist group, saying it would continue its air campaign against the militants.
"The coalition will continue to target [IS] wherever they operate to ensure they have no sanctuary," said Pentagon spokesman Marine Maj. Adrian J.T. Rankine-Galloway.
Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?
Syria's civil war erupted out of the Arab Spring protests that swept much of the Middle East and North Africa in 2011. The conflict has since drawn in multiple warring factions from around the world.
Image: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
War with no end
Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to Syrians.
Image: picture alliance/abaca/A. Al-Bushy
The dictator
Syria's army, officially known as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), is loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is fighting to restore the president's rule over the entire country. The SAA has been fighting alongside a number of pro-Assad militias such as the National Defense Force and has cooperated with military advisors from Russia and Iran, which back Assad.
Turkey, which is also part of the US-led coalition against IS, has actively supported rebels opposed to Assad. It has a tense relationship with its American allies over US cooperation with Kurdish fighters, who Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting in Turkey. Turkey has launched multiple military offensives targeting Kurdish militias.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L. Pitarakis
The eastern guardian
The Kremlin has proven to be a powerful friend to Assad. Russian air power and ground troops officially joined the fight in September 2015 after years of supplying the Syrian army. Moscow has come under fire from the international community for the high number of civilian casualties during its airstrikes. However, Russia's intervention turned the tide in war in favor of Assad.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Tass/M. Metzel
The western allies
A US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, including Germany, began targeting IS and other terrorist targets with airstrikes in late 2014. The anti-IS coalition has dealt major setbacks to the militant group. The US has more than a thousand special forces in the country backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/A.Brandon
The rebels
The Free Syrian Army grew out of protests against the Assad regime that eventually turned violent. Along with other non-jihadist rebel groups, it seeks the ouster of President Assad and democratic elections. After suffering a number of defeats, many of its members defected to hardline militant groups. It garnered some support from the US and Turkey, but its strength has been greatly diminished.
Image: Reuters
The resistance
Fighting between Syrian Kurds and Islamists has become its own conflict. The US-led coalition against the "Islamic State" has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. The Kurdish YPG militia is the main component of the SDF. The Kurds have had a tacit understanding with Assad.
Image: Getty Images/A. Sik
The new jihadists
"Islamic State" (IS) took advantage of regional chaos to capture vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Seeking to establish its own "caliphate," IS has become infamous for its fundamentalist brand of Islam and its mass atrocities. IS is on the brink of defeat after the US and Russia led separate military campaigns against the militant group.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo
The old jihadists
IS is not the only terrorist group that has ravaged Syria. A number of jihadist militant groups are fighting in the conflict, warring against various rebel factions and the Assad regime. One of the main jihadist factions is Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls most of Idlib province and has ties with al-Qaeda.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Nusra Front on Twitter
The Persian shadow
Iran has supported Syria, its only Arab ally, for decades. Eager to maintain its ally, Tehran has provided Damascus with strategic assistance, military training and ground troops when the conflict emerged in 2011. The Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah also supports the Assad regime, fighting alongside Iranian forces and paramilitary groups in the country.
Image: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
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The United States participates in separate UN-backed peace talks from those in Kazakhstan that have deadlocked despite several rounds of negotiations. A new round of talks is expected later this month.
Hoping for peace
The four so-called "safe zones" are spread across Syria. The first and biggest is in the north of the country, which includes Idlib province and three districts bordering it. The second zone is in the central Homs province; the third covers the region to the east of Damascus; and the fourth in the south. All these areas are largely controlled by opposition groups.
People in "safe zones" are hoping the deal would finally bring peace to their country.
"We are tired. We used to live under one tyrant, now we live under many. The 'safe zones' are a great idea. I hope they work," said a Syrian citizen.
The Syrian government says it supports the de-escalation plan, but it has also made clear that it will continue to fight what it deems to be a terrorist group.
