At noon Damascus time an official ceasefire went into effect in Southwest Syria. An agreement was reached between the US, Russia, and Jordan to stop fighting and deliver aid to the affected areas. The truce extends to Syrian government forces and US-backed terrorist groups in the provinces of Daraa, Quneitra, and Suwayda. Safe zones will be created to allow aid workers and unarmed civilians to pass safely.

No one is naive enough to think that this ceasefire is going to last. Neither the Syrian government nor US imperialism is going to rest until one of them has full control of the country. The antagonistic contradiction between imperialism and anti-imperialism cannot be resolved while one side survives. The US will either succeed in destroying Syria, or it will fail. Neither side is simply going to accept a compromise between the two positions because there is no compromise.

As it stands right now, the imperialism is losing in the country. Several recent high-profile victories by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and allied forces have pushed US-backed terrorists a significant distance. The territory held by terrorist forces is rapidly shrinking. Not just in Syria, but in Iraq as well. The day that they’ll suffer total defeat is quickly approaching. The US doesn’t have much time left to shore up the capabilities of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and so-called moderate rebel groups.

That’s what the ceasefire is all about for the US. A chance for losing forces to regroup and take a breather. The US wouldn’t agree to a ceasefire unless they have something significant to gain from it. In the light of the recent tactical failures, it seems more than likely that the US is looking for an opportunity reorganise their forces.

The SAA could certainly do with a breather of their own. They’ve been pushing an all fronts as hard as possible with the assistance of Russia. Any break in the combat for a short time would give some kind of relief from US bombings that are erratic at best. The embattled country could use a moment to do some damage control in the areas that have been retaken by the SAA. During this period it would be possible for them to carry out humanitarian work. A lull in the battle will make it possible for relief agencies to go in and help the newly liberated populations. A great deal of assistance will be needed. The US-backed terrorist forces have treated people brutally.

A ceasefire is mutually beneficial at this point in the conflict. It allows the US-backed terrorist to regroup after devastating losses and allows the SAA to be able to carry out humanitarian work. But of course, this ceasefire will not last forever. Both sides are determined to capture the entire Syrian country