By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

Syrian government and opposition have agreed to a nationwide ceasefire deal.
Starting as of Thursday, they have laid down their arms as part of the latest pact aimed at ending the six-year disaster in the war-torn nation.
The nationwide ceasefire was brokered by Russian and Turkish diplomats alongside representatives from the Syrian government and the opposition.
The United States, which has backed various terrorist groups and demanded President Assad step down, was not present for the key negotiations, which followed major battlefield advances by the government, including the recent liberation of Aleppo, in collaboration with Iran, Russia and Hezbollah.
The deal does not cover the terrorist groups of ISIL and Al-Qaeda-affiliated Ahrar al-Sham either. They have all been excluded from the process and will be the target of Syrian forces and allies in the coming year.
It is perhaps here as to why it is safe to predict that this time the ceasefire deal might actually hold. After all, the United States and the terrorist groups have been sidelined, making it very difficult, if not impossible, for them to act as spoilers – yet again. We all all in the know that it was all because of them that the previous ceasefire deals collapsed.
There are also other reasons as to why the new pact marks a key turning point and ushers in peace talks aimed at bringing an end to the foreign-backed war that has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of Syria’s population.
As we speak, all sides say they are committed to the ceasefire agreement and have stopped fighting. The Syrian military has ceased combat operations except against terrorist groups including ISIL and Ahrar al-Sham - the Al-Qaeda wing in Syria.
More so, the deal comes after a series of significant losses for the foreign-backed opposition and a shift in the war’s momentum in favour of the Syrian people and government.
The so-called "moderate” rebels recently lost the battle for Aleppo, the last major city in which they had a presence. They have also come under bombardment in many other areas, with no gains for much of the past year. Logic dictates they should at least secure a seat for themselves at the upcoming negotiations in Astana, Kazakhstan, to stay in the game
Into the argument, the absence of the United States and its allies also makes sense. It offers a hint at the frustration of the international community over their policies and the destructive roles they played in previous ceasefire agreements.
That says why the brokers of the new ceasefire deal are not taking any chances. They want this to work and they have even agreed to play a role as guarantors in the absence of American or UN involvement in the talks.
Meaning, the nationwide ceasefire can and should stick, and meaningful progress can and should be made on negotiations, which are set to include Iran, Russia and Turkey, as well as representatives from the Syrian government and the opposition.
Let's cross our fingers and hope that this New Year the participants of the Astana process will be able to calm the violence and end the six-year disaster that is the U.S.-led war on Syria. Happy New Year.