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DPA
Damascus
The Syrian army on Saturday said it had temporarily halted combat operations against rebels~in the southern city of Daraa, the scene of fierce fighting in recent weeks.
The army's command said in a statement that its forces would stop combat operations in the city for 48 hours, starting at noon Saturday (0900 GMT), according to Syria's state news agency SANA.
"This comes to support efforts for national reconciliation," the command added without elaborating.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said calm was largely prevailing in the city after the ceasefire went into effect.
The truce was the result of an agreement brokered by neighbouring Jordan, Russia and the United States, the watchdog added without details.
Since early June, Daraa has seen fierce fighting between forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Islamist rebels, including al-Qaeda-linked militants, the Observatory reported.
A local opposition source told dpa that the regime opted for the ceasefire after its forces had failed to recapture the city.
"The military situation on the ground [in Daraa] is in favour of the revolutionaries. Reaching a truce is considered a victory for the revolutionary factions," the source added on condition of anonymity.
Daraa is among areas covered by an accord brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran to set up safe zones in war-ravaged Syria. That deal went into effect last month.
