Ceasefire brokered by US and Russia begins in Syria

A ceasefire brokered by the US, Russia and Jordan went into effect Sunday in southwest Syria as part of an agreement hailed as a precursor to greater cooperation between Russia and the US over the war-ravaged country.

The plan was announced Friday at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

The leaders also agreed to establish three de-escalation zones in Syria. Russian military police, coordinating with the US and Jordan, will initially ensure security around the de-escalation zone, officials said.

The ceasefire affects the regions of Deraa and Suweida, along the Jordanian border, as well as Quneitra, near borders with Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The areas in southern Syria will be the first in which the US is party to a de-escalation zone.