Khalil Ashawi/Reuters
The United Nations Security Council on Saturday unanimously voted to endorse a new ceasefire deal in Syria’s nearly six-year war. The ceasefire deal, announced earlier this week by Russia and Turkey, is the third one this year. In addition to a truce, the resolution calls for “rapid, safe and unhindered” humanitarian aid deliveries throughout the country. In addition, it calls for a meeting between Syrian government representatives and opposition forces in Kazakhstan in late January to jump start peace talks. Western members of the security council had gathered prior to the vote on Saturday to make certain changes to the draft resolution submitted by Russia and Turkey. The final text of the resolution drops an endorsement of the Turkish-Russian ceasefire deal and instead “welcomes and supports” it.