SYRIA CEASEFIRE DEAL IN BALANCE AS ALEPPO AID PLAN STALLS

Syrian government forces and rebels had yet to withdraw from a road needed to deliver aid to the city of Aleppo on Thursday, threatening the most serious international peacemaking effort in months as the sides accused each other of violating a truce.

The aid delivery to rebel-held eastern Aleppo, which is blockaded by government forces, is an important test of a US-Russian deal that has brought about a significant reduction in violence since a ceasefire took effect on Monday.

The UN’s Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said the US and Russia were expected to manage the disengagement of forces from the road, but also criticised Damascus for failing to provide permits needed to make aid deliveries to other areas.

France, which backs the opposition, became the first US ally to publicly question the deal with Moscow, urging Washington to share details of the agreement and saying that without aid for Aleppo, it was not credible.

Control of the Castello Road is divided between the government and rebels who have been battling to topple President Bashar al-Assad for more than five years. It has been a major frontline in the war.

Russia, whose air force helped the Syrian government to blockade opposition-held Aleppo this summer, said on Wednesday it was preparing for the Syrian army and rebel fighters to begin a staged withdrawal from the road. But on Thursday morning, both Syrian government and rebel forces were still manning their positions. An official in an Aleppo-based Syrian rebel group said international parties had told him aid was now due to be delivered on Friday.

FRANCE BECAME THE FIRST UNITED STATES ALLY TO PUBLICLY QUESTION THE DEAL WITH RUSSIA, URGING WASHINGTON TO SHARE DETAILS OF THE TRUCE.