On Friday 26th February 2016, the United States and Russia agreed to terms for a cease-fire in Syria, as another attempt this month by world powers to halt the violence of Syria’s civil war. The ceasefire in Syria that took effect on Saturday was part of a negotiated deal, based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, passed in December 2015. The deal that contained three main commitments around humanitarian access, a negotiated ceasefire and a political transition was reached in Munich by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), a group of international actors mandated to find a resolution to the Syrian conflict. The ISSG, which includes major regional actors, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, as well as regional bodies, such as the Arab League and the European Union, has emerged out of previous attempts, notably the Geneva process, to negotiate a political solution to the Syrian conflict.

This is the latest cessation deal reached by US and Russia which explicitly excludes Islamic State and al-Nusra front, against which military action will continue. This has been openly explained by the Russian authorities who have even went further by saying that Russia is not committed to end its airstrikes in Syria, but repeated its insistence on targeting terrorist groups. Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “Our airspace forces will continue working against these organizations.” This move has been backed by a top Saudi military official who repeated the Kingdom’s readiness to send Special Forces troops to fight Isis inside Syria.

The U.S. and Russia chair the International Syria Support Group, a 17-member organization that includes the European Union and the Arab League. The two major powers claim that they want a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, but in reality they are aiding the nasty and evil Bashar with malicious means to continue committing heinous crimes against the Syrian people. The US coalition began its attacks against Syria in 23/9/2014 and continues its bombing. Then it successfully dragged Russia into launching air strikes inland of Sham under the pretext of supporting those who are on the battlefield resisting and fighting the terrorists.

Any person with a sound mind will definitely understand that the Munich talks were under the custodianship of America who does not want to remove Bashar from power until it finds another puppet who will follow the footprints of Bashar in serving the US interests. The truce is gravely dangerous and it will be a deadly weapon for those who will submit themselves into it. It has been reached only to secure the evil regime and not the people of Ash-Sham. US has supported Bashar in causing the deaths of more than 200,000 people since 2011. It has been able to commit such massacres through the support of traitors in the Muslim land.

It will therefore be committing suicide for the fighting groups such as Jaish Ash-Sham and Ahrar Sham to be submit into agreement.

Syria the abode of Islam will only return into its dignity when its people will stand and hold on truth i.e. Islam and its people working upon the method of the Prophethood to bring Khilafah (Caliphate). The solution is the only option not only for Syrian people but also to all Muslims.

Shabani Mwalimu

Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in East Africa