As Al-Monitor reported this week, the Syrian government's proposed cease-fire for the Idlib de-escalation zone was one of the main outcomes of the 13th Astana round of Syria talks in the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan. The Idlib de-escalation zone covers parts of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces in addition to Idlib. Russia, Turkey and Iran, the guarantor states of the Astana process, endorsed the measure. Syrian opposition groups as well as the radical Hayat Tahrir al-Sham also agreed to observe the cease-fire.

The head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties, Maj. Gen. Alexey Bakin, said after the talks, "In order to stabilize the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic and to support the international summit on the Syrian resolution held within the framework of the Astana format in Nur-Sultan, Syrian President Bashar Assad made a decision to fully cease fighting and any assaults in the Idlib de-escalation zone as of 12 p.m. Aug. 2, 2019. In response to the Syrian initiative, the Turkish side is expected to implement the instructions of the Sochi agreements in their entirety, removing the militant groups and their weaponry from the demilitarized zone, stopping fire and unlocking the Damascus-Aleppo highway within 24 hours.” 

The 24-hour deadline and the nature of the demands made meeting them barely possible, if that. It appears that both the Syrians and the Russians were just ensuring that they reserve the right to restart a full-fledged assault when they consider it to be necessary.

On Aug. 5, the Syrian Arab Army struck the towns of Kafr Zita, al-Lataminah, al-Zaka and Khan Shaykhun in northern Hama and southern Idlib. Damascus also said it would resume its ground operations in greater Idlib after the end of Eid al-Adha (Aug.11-15) if radical militants don’t withdraw from the 20-kilometer demilitarized zone.