(VOVworld) – 10 Syrian opposition groups announced on Monday they won’t attend the peace talks, planned this month in the Kazakh capital of Astana, blaming the Syrian government for violations of a four-day old ceasefire.

A rebel fighter fires at a Syrian government target in Aleppo (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The latest ceasefire, brokered by Russia and Turkey, involves the Syrian government and 7 opposition groups totaling 60,000 gunmen. The truce is fragile without US backing. Shortly after the deal took effect Friday night, clashes occurred between government and rebel fighters outside Damascus. It is not clear which side fired first.