U.S. & RUSSIA IN SYRIA CEASEFIRE

But now they’ll blitz IS together

A PARTIAL ceasefire for Syria agreed between the US and Russia will begin at sunset tomorrow.

Syrian government forces will end combat missions in some rebel-held parts of the country under a “cessation of hostilities”.

But Russia and the US will continue airstrikes against Islamist militants and have agreed to co-ordinate them.

The two powers will open a joint HQ to fight jihadists including Islamic State.

A Syrian opposition coalition cautiously welcomed the agreement signed yesterday.

“We hope this will be the beginning of the end of the civilians’ ordeal,” said Bassma Kodmani, of the High Negotiations Committee. “We welcome the deal if it is going to be enforced.”

The announcement follows talks in Geneva between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov. Mr Kerry said the opposition was ready to comply with the agreement provided the Syrian government “shows it is serious”.

Mr Lavrov said Russia, which backs Syria’s government, had told it of the plans and it was “ready to fulfil them”.

However, fighting raged on in the southern part of the Syrian second city of Aleppo yesterday.

The army attacked rebel-held areas, trying to regain territory before the ceasefire starts. The UK- based Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence across Syria, said jets believed to be Syrian or Russian also hit rebel-held towns near Aleppo. Eastern Aleppo residents said Syrian army helicopters dropped barrel bombs. Syria’s main political opposition said it had not seen the deal and would only react after consulting members. Some had expressed scepticism. But Save the Children’s Syria director Sonia Khush said: “The announcement is very welcome, and couldn’t come soon enough for Syria’s children.” Child suicide attempts showed the urgency of the situation, she said. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said “at the very least” she hoped people in besieged Aleppo would get the aid they desperately needed.