The First Day of Ceasefire in Southwest Syria Passed 'Peacefully'

A group monitoring the Syrian civil war and a faction of rebels opposing Bashar al-Assad have confirmed that the first day of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Russia in parts of southwest Syria has passed without significant violence. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, reported on July 9 that except for instances of limited violence, the day was peaceful in the remaining areas covered by the ceasefire. Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, stated that there were shootings in Daraa and Quneitra, but they did not pose a threat to the ceasefire process. The organization had previously reported relative calm in the southwestern regions of Syria. The ceasefire covers the areas of Daraa, Suwayda, and Quneitra, near the Jordanian border. The agreement to create 'violence-free zones' in southwest Syria followed the first face-to-face meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, the presidents of Russia and the United States. This ceasefire does not include the group known as the Islamic State. Issam al-Rais, a spokesperson for the group known as the 'Southern Front,' which is supported by the U.S.-led coalition, also stated that 'relative calm' was maintained until nightfall. On Sunday, Trump tweeted about the ceasefire's initiation, stating, 'The ceasefire in Syria seems to be holding, saving many lives... that's good.' He also mentioned topics discussed with Putin, stating that now is the time for 'constructive cooperation with Russia.' However, he added that until 'the problems in Ukraine and Syria' are resolved, sanctions imposed on Moscow will not change. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, stated that Russian border guards, in cooperation with Jordan and the United States, will monitor the ceasefire process. According to Lavrov, these actions include 'ensuring security for humanitarian aid routes and communication between opposition groups in the region, and a monitoring center [for the ceasefire] established in Jordan.' Previous ceasefires in Syria have often been short-lived, with violence resuming shortly after. In addition to the agreement between Moscow and Washington, separate discussions are ongoing between Russia and Iran, key supporters of Bashar al-Assad, and Turkey, which supports some of Assad's opponents, to create four 'de-escalation zones' in Syria. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his country welcomes a 'real ceasefire in Syria,' but such a situation 'should not allow Iran to fill the vacuum created and gain power in Syria near the Israeli border.' The Syrian civil war began in 2011 following a severe crackdown on largely peaceful protests against Bashar al-Assad's government. Between 310,000 and half a million people have reportedly lost their lives in the fighting and violence, and half of Syria's population has been displaced.