Fighting ruptures ragged Syrian ceasefire

BEIRUT (REUTERS) - Fighting in Syria killed several people today as a ceasefire brokered by international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to mark a holy Muslim day frayed almost before it had begun.

The Syrian military had said it would hold fire for four days following Mr Brahimi's ceasefire appeal, which had won widespread support, including from Russia, China and Iran, President Bashar al-Assad's main foreign allies.

Violence appeared to wane in some areas, but violations by both sides swiftly marred Syrians' hopes of celebrating Eid al-Adha, the climax of the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca, in peace.

For some, there was no respite from war, but by mid-afternoon only seven people had been killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, far below the 140 it reported yesterday, when combat went on into the night.