Photo Credits: IBTimes
An UN-backed ceasefire proposed to end 13 months of bloodshed in Syria appeared to be holding after coming into force at daybreak on Thursday, but Western countries have publicly doubted Syria’s willingness to stick to it.
After breaking a commitment to pull back forces from population centres by Tuesday under the agreement brokered by former UN chief Kofi Annan, there were still no signs of a withdrawal, monitors said.
As per the report by BBC World Syria has said it would abide by the ceasefire but reserved the right to respond to attacks.
So far there have been no reported violations, but the US said Syria’s pledge had “little if any credibility”. The main armed rebel group said it would respond to any government attack.
Mr Annan received written assurances from the Syrian foreign ministry that government troops would “cease all military fighting throughout Syrian territory as of 06:00 (03:00 GMT)… while reserving the right to respond proportionately to any attacks carried out by armed terrorist groups”, his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi said as per the report.
“An hour after the ultimatum expired, the situation is calm in all regions,” Rami Abdel Rahman, chairman of the London-based Syrian Human Rights Observatory, told the AFP news agency.
Meanwhile, Syrians all over world united to trend the hashtag #stopthekilling on Wednesday just hours before Syrian troops were due to lay down their weapons amid a UN-brokered ceasefire. The hashtag was initiated by a Syrian woman as assign of protest, in which she held up a banner calling for an end to the violence that has already claimed over 9,000 lives, culminated in her arrest. Her tweet spread like like wild fire and Syrians all over the world piggy backed it.
Supporters followed suit in solidarity with the woman, Rima Dali, holding up similar signs saying “Stop the killing” in a Damascus shopping mall on Wednesday April 11. Watch the video below.
As a part of protest four young Syrians lay down like corpses. (The moment of capture of the finest youth of Damascus # Mall in Kvrsush short presentation to bring them to stop the killings via Google Translate)
لحظة أعتقال خيرة شباب #دمشق من مول في كفرسوسة لتقديمهم عرض قصير لأيقاف القتل . #StopTheKilling #Syria twitter.com/Omniyya/status…
— Rahaf Konbaz (@Omniyya) April 11, 2012
These words will get you arrested in #Syria: Stop the Killing. Please make this a permanent trend on twitter. #StoptheKilling
— Rafif Jouejati (@RafifJ) April 11, 2012
#StopTheKilling and don’t let us pay the price of your war addiction. Check in rehabs instead #Syria
— Tammy (@T_Syriana_B) April 10, 2012
@UN How, by any stretch of sanity or imagination, can this be allowed to continue? #Syria #StoptheKilling
— Rafif Jouejati (@RafifJ) April 11, 2012
In the video below Dali stands in traffic holding a banner that says “Stop the killing. We want to build a country for all Syrians”. According to tweets and protestors, Dali was arrested immediately after this incident:
However, Rima Dali was released, but reports circled that the three other protesters inspired by her action of picking up the “Stop Killing” banner were arrested:
#StopTheKilling of Syrians like Nidal Janoud and Qais Slaiman and Ala’a AbdAllah and Sari Soud by FSA and their supporters #StopTheFSA
— S (@ShorukAlShams) April 12, 2012
So Hussam Dahna, Ali Zain, Assem Hamsho, Saffana Baqle still arrested for holding “Stop the killing” banner in Damascus. Rima is free #Syria
— Leila Nachawati (@leila_na) April 11, 2012
A good friend of mine was arrested today in #Damascus for raising a #StopTheKillingbanner #Syria#يلعن الغباء
— Samah Issa (@samahsy) April 11, 2012
