Iran says attacks on 'terrorists' in Damascus suburbs to continue, despite truce

Iran said on Sunday that attacks will continue on Damascus suburbs held by “terrorists”, but elsewhere Iran and Syria will respect a UN resolution demanding a 30-day truce to allow aid access and medical evacuation, Iranian news agencies were quoted as reporting by Reuters.

“We will adhere to the ceasefire resolution, Syria will also adhere. Parts of the suburbs of Damascus, which are held by the terrorists, are not covered by the ceasefire and clean-up (operations) will continue there,” the semi-official news agency Tasnim quoted Iran’s military chief of staff General Mohammad Baqeri as saying.

The UN Security Council on Saturday demanded a 30-day truce across Syria, as one of the deadliest air assaults of the seven-year war pounded the rebel enclave of eastern Ghouta outside Damascus.

“As the text (of the UN resolution) says, parts of the suburbs of Damascus, which are specifically controlled by the terrorists of the Nusra Front and other terrorist groups, are not subject to ceasefire,” Baqeri said, according to state news agency IRNA.

Read: Rescuers say cannot keep up with air strikes battering Syria’s Ghouta