US-Russia draft calls for Syria ceasefire to start Feb 27

WASHINGTON - Reuters

A draft U.S.-Russian plan calls for a cessation of hostilities in Syria to begin on Feb. 27 but to exclude Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front militants, two Western diplomatic sources said on Feb. 22.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed a report by the Al Jazeera television network, which also reported that the draft calls on Syrian parties to agree to the cessation of hostilities by midday on Feb. 26. One of the sources said this was accurate, but the second was unable to confirm it.