Airstrikes on Syrian rebels continue ahead of truce as oppositions say to honor deal

Heavy black smoke bellowed the eastern countryside of Syria's capital Damascus on Friday, in what appeared to be airstrikes pounding rebel positions, just hours ahead of the implementation of a planned ceasefire, activists said.

At least 25 air strikes, believed to be Russian, targeted Damascus' eastern town of Douma, a main rebel bastion, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the air strikes were coupled with shelling from the Syrian ground troops. It added that the shelling and air raids have left wide-scale destruction in Douma, a bastion for the rebels' Islam Army, which presumably included in the truce, as it's not designated as a terrorist group by the UN.

Meanwhile, witnesses, who live near the eastern countryside of Damascus, told Xinhua that the shelling was so intense and consecutive. They added that the cloud was so thick.

"People are afraid because the sounds are close and strong," one witness, who lives in Damascus' eastern district of Tijara said, as his house overlooks areas close Douma.

Another witness, who lives in the Abassyien district, also spoke of the heavy shelling sounds and the cloud of dust that covered parts of that area.

The Observatory, which relies on a network of activists on ground, said the aerial bombing was not only confined to the capital, as strikes have been reported Friday in the countryside of the central provinces of Homs and Hama, as well as the northern countryside of the coastal province of Latakia.

The intensification of shelling comes just hours ahead of commencement of the cessation of hostilities deal.

Also on Friday, the Riyadh-backed Syrian opposition group, Higher Negotiation Committee (HNC), announced that most of the rebel factions have agreed to respect the cessation of hostilities plan in Syria, according to the Saudi-funded al-Arabyia TV.

Most of the Syrian rebel groups, which are entitled to the cessation of hostilities plan, have expressed readiness to commit to the deal, according to the report.

It added that the Free Syrian Army, one of the western-backed rebel group, has accepted the plan and pledged its commitment.

The report said that it wasn't yet clear whether any rebel group rejected the plan.

Meanwhile, the HNC said warned the Syrian government from exploiting the truce under the pretext of fighting terrorism.

Russia and the United States agreed to enforce a cessation of hostilities in Syria starting from Saturday. Warring parties have to decide whether they will agree to the deal by noon on Friday (1000 GMT), and to halt fighting at midnight on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the Syrian government and rebel groups accepted the plan, while Damascus has warned the rebels not to take advantage from the fighting pause to enhance their positions.

The deal excludes the Islamic State (IS) group and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, as both groups are designated by the United Nations as terrorists. Endit