What the international community and media called a ceasefire that the peace negotiators hoped would lead to an amicable solution, turned out to be a mere joke when the nation was confronted with car bomb explosions, intense fights and resultantly many deaths.
According to activists, at least 70 people were killed in a powerful car bomb explosion in the capital city of Damascus on Friday, on the first day of the ceasefire to mark a Muslim religious holiday, a Reuters report said.
The state government termed it a terrorist attack and said at least 5 people were killed and 32 injured due to the car bomb explosion. "The bomb went off near a makeshift children's playground built for the Eid al-Adha holiday in the southern Daf al-Shok district of the capital," it said.
The ceasefire treaty proposed by Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria, was violated by both the government forces and the rebels. A
lthough not as intense as the other days, gunfire exchange was reported between the sides that killed many including 26 troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the bloodshed in the country, said.
"The heaviest fighting took place around an army base at Wadi al-Daif, near the Damascus-Aleppo highway, which rebels have been trying to seize from the army for two weeks," the report said.
Nine pro-government soldiers and four rebel fighters were killed in clashes around Wadi al-Daif. Gunfire and explosions were heard in Harasta, Douma, Aleppo, Tel Kelakh, Haram and Khalidiya were couple of deaths are reported.
Meanwhile, the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a rare public appearance attending Eid prayers at a Damascus mosque alongside information minister and foreign minister, as well as the mufti, Syria's top Muslim official.
The 19-month-old rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad has left more than 35,000 people dead and has destroyed many towns and neighbourhoods.
