A cease fire has been declared in Syria.
SANA, the Syrian News Agency, a state media organization linked to the Ministry of Information, reported on Saturday that a 48-hour cease fire started on Saturday in Syria.
"General Command of the Army and Armed Forces has announced the cessation of all combat operations in the southern city of Daraa for 48 hours in support of national reconciliation," stated SANA.
The Army General Command stated that all combat would stop at 12 p.m. on Saturday for 48 hours.
The United Nations also stated it planned Syrian peace talks for July 10th in Geneva. The Russian Government also stated its plans for peace talks on July 4th and 5th in Astana, Kazakhastan.
The Syrian Civil War started in 2011 with the Arab Spring protests. In 2014 NATO countries joined the Syrian government military and started launching airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Several peace initiatives have been launched throughout the war.
In March of 2017, the United Nations led a series of peace talks in Geneva, but nothing had transpired until June 17th, when a 48-hour cease fire was declared. More peace talks are scheduled to take place in July.
In April of 2016, the United Nations and Arab League Envoy to Syria estimated that 400,000 people have died in the Syrian war.
By March 2017, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) estimated that 17,411 of the deaths were children and 10,847 were women.
Millions more children and families have been displaced. In the midst of the conflict, UNICEF has reported that it may have to cut "critical and life-saving activities" which supports about nine million children in Syria and countries nearby.
UNICEF's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Geert Cappelaere, stated that the lack of US funds is "the most severe funding gap" UNICEF has experienced since the start of the Syrian conflict.
"Humanitarian needs continue to grow, day by day," he added.
