Is Assad’s truce offer believable?

The Assad regime announced the offer of a truce between it and opposition forces on Thursday, which included a commitment to abide by a de-escalation zone agreed upon by Turkey and Russia.

Among the conditions of the truce is a demand for the Syrian opposition to withdraw all of its forces and weaponry from the buffer zone.

The initial truce in northern Syria was broken when the regime launched an offensive in Idlib and other rebel-held areas in northern Syria in late April.

Assad loyalists have since struggled to make any significant gains since despite having the advantage of total control of the skies over Idlib.

Attacks by Assad’s warplanes have often caused devastation for civilians.  On June 10, for example, regime strikes killed at least 25 people, mostly civilians. Hundreds of civilians have died in joint Russian-regime airstrikes since the campaign began.

Many opposition supporters voiced their scepticism over the regime’s motives for the unilaterally declared truce, suggesting that Assad was trying to buy time so that his forces could regroup and try again after their initial failure.

“So Assad regime took some villages then fearing rebels counter-attack so self imposes a ceasefire to prepare for rebels counter-attack when they will feel ready, they will Carry on their war crimes in Idlib.” Wrote one Twitter user.

Syria has been ravaged by civil war since 2011 when peaceful protests against Bashar al-Assad were violently put down.

After the mass killing of protesters by regime forces and the torture of activists, many opposition activists took up arms in an attempt to bring down the Assad regime by force.

Despite initial gains, the opposition has struggled to hold territory because of international support for the regime from Russia and Iran.

The conflict has killed more than 500,000 people, devastated Syria’s economy, and sent millions fleeing to neighbouring countries and Europe.