Scores die in Syria hours after truce deal

The deal was reached in Geneva, Switzerland, between US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

At least 90 civilians were killed in a series of airstrikes on rebel-held areas in the provinces of Aleppo in northern Syria and Idlib in the northwest, a monitoring group reported.

The agreement is set to come into effect in stages beginning with a limited cease-fire Monday night that allows the Syrian government to continue to strike at al Qaeda-linked militants, until the USA and Russian Federation take over the task in one week's time.

Nusra shelling of the government-held half of Aleppo killed at least 10 more civilians, according to reports, and five others were killed in fighting around Damascus.

But only hours after it was announced, Syria's army attacked rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo, both sides said, as the military pushed to maximize gains before the ceasefire deadline.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed the establishment of ceasefire in Syria and easier access to the humanitarian aid for the whole people of the country", Qasemi said.

Egypt welcomed and supported the US-Russian deal on a nationwide truce and ceasefire in afflicted Syria, which was agreed on Friday.

The Syrian government in Damascus endorsed the deal, state news agency Sana reported.

The final hours of the talks dragged out as Kerry contacted US President Barack Obama's office to get approval for the plan, but the top diplomat said both governments stand behind it.

Idlib province has endured escalating strikes by Russian planes in recent months, according to worldwide aid workers and residents, destroying scores of hospitals, bakeries and other infrastructure across rebel-held territory.

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Cooperation with Fateh al-Sham could bring "dire consequences" for Syria's mainstream rebel groups once the proposed deal comes into effect, Washington's envoy to Syria said on Saturday.

"The fighting is flaring on all the fronts of southern Aleppo, but the clashes in Amiryah are the heaviest", said Captain Abdul Salam Abdul Razak, the military spokesman of the rebel Nour al-Din al-Zinki Brigades.

US Secretary of State John Kerry called on all sides to respect the deal, which was finally reached after several failed attempts over recent weeks.

Battles erupted across Syria as both sides took advantage of what may be the last opportunity to kill opponents and grab territory ahead of the implementation of the cease-fire, due to begin Monday.

Russian Federation is a major ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the U.S. is supporting opposition forces fighting to oust him.

Basma Kodmani, of the Saudi-backed opposition alliance High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said the group is cautious of the agreement, adding that there needed to be mechanisms to ensure the "enforcement of the deal".

The deal does not, however, address the inherent contradictions that have scuttled past efforts to end the fighting - including the question of why Assad's government would cooperate with a process that the United States insists is meant to lead to his departure, or whether Russian Federation supports that goal.

The statement said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had "closely followed" the process to secure the ceasefire, following talks with Russian and United States counterparts Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 in China.

Hezbollah has sent thousands of fighters to Syria to back President Bashar Assad's forces.


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