Hizballah, Iran 'back' US-Russia brokered truce in Syria

Hizballah officials expressed support for the US-Russian ceasefire agreement in Syria on Saturday, but vowed to continue battling the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda's affiliate in the war-torn country.

The group's media arm said "the allies of Syria" abide by the decisions of the Syrian government while describing the truce as an opportunity for the Syrian people.

Hizballah, which is an adamant ally of Syria's Bashar al-Assad sent thousands of fighters to back government forces involved in the conflict.

Meanwhile, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari said Tehran also supports the agreement.

"Iran supports any ceasefire and peace plan to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria or limit it that involves a political solution ...based on the Syrian people's votes," he said.

This week, the US and Russia agreed on an accord designed to freeze fighting between warring factions in Syria after five-years of brutal combat.

The deal requires both sides "halting all attacks, including aerial bombardments and any attempts to gain additional territory at the expense of the parties to the cessation".

This week, the US and Russia agreed on an accord designed to freeze fighting between warring factions in Syria after five-years of brutal combat

Among other points, it also demands "unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all of the besieged and the hard-to-reach areas, including Aleppo".

On Saturday, the spokesman for the Saudi-backed Syrian High Negotiations Committee [HNC] has said that the ceasefire deal brokered by Washington and Moscow is "unfair" and will lead to a "civilian genocide".

Riad Nassan Agha told The New Arab that the agreement, which is meant to end hostilities and ensure aid deliveries, will result in more civilian casualties and has ignored key issues such as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's fate.

"We agree in principle to a total ceasefire, however, the deal allows the US and Russia to carry out air raids with a pause from the regime, this means they think the only terrorism is Sunni terrorism," Agha said.

"Lavrov and Kerry have omitted the thousands of terrorists from around the world fighting alongside the regime such as Hizballah, Harakat al-Nujaba and others. The deal has also failed to mention Iran's role."

The HNC spokesman said that agreement will not protect civilians living in areas held by terrorists because there are currently no safe zones for them to evacuate to.

Earlier on Saturday, Iqab Yahya, a member of the HNC told The New Arab that his group supports the US-Russian deal.

"We stand in support of agreement that provides a suitable environment for a political resolution to the conflict," Yahya said.

However, Yahya also expressed hesitation to whether the Syrian regime will implement the agreement.