Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Wednesday he is ready to support a cease-fire in his war-torn country that is set to start Saturday.
Syria's state-run news agency, SANA, reports Assad told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call that he endorses the truce Russia and the United States agreed to earlier this week that calls for a halt in the fighting, except for continuing attacks against Islamic State, Syria's al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front and any other militias designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations Security Council.
The effectiveness of the would-be cease-fire remains in doubt, however, with Syria's main opposition group, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) yet to commit to the U.S.-Russian plan. Combatants are required to agree to the "cessation of hostilities" by noon Friday local time, 12 hours before the truce is set to take effect.