Ceasefire to take effect in Deraa, Suweida, Quneitra

A ceasefire is set to take effect in southwest Syria after 
a deal was brokered by the US, Russia and Jordan.

The truce is to be enforced by midday (09:00 GMT) on
Sunday, in the provinces of Deraa, Suweida and Quneitra in
the southwest, along the Jordanian border.

Similar agreements have been brokered in Syria in the
 past with the aim of getting the country's peace process 
back on track following a prolonged civil war that began in 2011.

All have failed to halt the fighting for very long.
But in a statement issued late on Saturday, US 
National Security Adviser HR McMaster  said the US was 
"encouraged by the progress made to reach this agreement".

"The United States remains committed to defeating 
ISIS [ISIL], helping to end the conflict in Syria, reducing suffering, and enabling people to return to their homes," 
he added. "This agreement is an important step toward 
these common goals."

Syrian government forces had already announced a halt to
combat operations in the three provinces.

The deal is separate to the four so-called de-escalation
zones, which are being negotiated by Russia, Turkey 
and Iran.

Those talks broke down in Kazakhstan's capital Astana
 last week, over the policing and precise borders of the 
areas.

Syrian rivals are to come together for a seventh time in
Geneva in the coming days.

Diplomats from Russia, Iran, Turkey and the US were
participating in the Astana talks along with UN special 
envoy Staffan de Mistura.