Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said both Syrian forces and rebels should end hostilities “at least” through the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday that begins on Oct. 26. He said the sides should also aim for a truce that lasts beyond the holiday.
The Joint U.N.-Arab League envoy to the Syria conflict, Lakhdar Brahimi, and a number of countries are pushing for a temporary truce. Brahimi has called on the Syrian government to take the initiative, a position echoed by Turkey.
“Let’s hope that the Syrian regime listens to this call by the international community and stops these attacks during Eid al-Adha,” he said. “In response, we expect the opposition to abide by the cease-fire in the same way.”
Germany, a member of the U.N. Security Council, added its support for a temporary cease-fire.
“This would be an important humanitarian glimmer of hope for people in Syria,” Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement.
Syria says it wants a cease-fire but the rebels lack a unified leadership that can agree to it.
Both sides have flouted previous cease-fires after verbally agreeing to them.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, called for the truce on Thursday. The Iraqi government also expressed its support in a statement, calling on all sides to abandon violence “to save the region from more miseries and pains.”
Activists say more than 33,000 people have been killed since the anti-Assad uprising started in March 2011.
Davutoglu on Friday also promised increased food and medical aid for Syria during the holiday.
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(The Washington Post)
