Syria conflict: Russia bombs 'terrorists' ahead of truce

Russia says it is continuing to bomb "terrorists" in
parts of Syria ahead of a cessation of hostilities due
to come into effect later.
"The Russian air force is certainly continuing its
operation in Syria" against "terrorist organisations,"
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
But he denied reports from monitors that Russian
planes had been intensively striking rebel
strongholds.
World powers agreed on 12 February that a truce
would start within a week.
But that deadline passed and scepticism remains
over the new plan. The "cessation of hostilities"
involves regime and rebel forces - but not so-called
Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra
Front.
What's the difference between 'ceasefire' and
'cessation'?
Overnight, Russian air strikes which were "more
intense than usual" hit rebel bastions including at
Eastern Ghouta east of Damascus, in the north of
Homs province and in the west of Aleppo province,
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
monitoring group said.
"It's more intense than usual. It's as if they [the
Russians and the regime] want to subdue rebels in
these regions or score points before the ceasefire,"
Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman was quoted
by news agency AFP as saying.
But Mr Peskov said Russia was targeting IS, Al-
Nusra Front and other extremist groups designated
as legitimate targets by the UN Security Council.