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    United Nations Security Council Votes Unanimously for Syrian Cease-Fire

    Resolution calls for humanitarian-aid access, medical evacuations and end to sieges on civilian areas

    Flame and smoke rose from a building in Damascus, Syria, after a mortar shell exploded near the old fairground on Feb. 10. On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council voted to demand a 30-day cease-fire in the country.
    Flame and smoke rose from a building in Damascus, Syria, after a mortar shell exploded near the old fairground on Feb. 10. On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council voted to demand a 30-day cease-fire in the country. Photo: sana handout/epa-efe/rex/shutter/EPA/Shutterstock
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    UNITED NATIONS—The United Nations Security Council on Saturday broke its impasse on Syria and voted unanimously for a resolution demanding a 30-day nationwide cease-fire begin “without delay.”

    The resolution, put forward by Kuwait and Sweden, calls for access for U.N. humanitarian-aid convoys, medical evacuation of the injured and a lifting of sieges on civilian areas such as Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus that has suffered with limited food, water and electricity while under heavy bombardment by Syrian government forces.

    The resolution makes an exemption for military operations against terrorist groups such as Islamic State, the Nusra Front and al Qaeda.

    Sweden’s Ambassador to the U.N. Olof Skoog told the council that, in the seven years of Syria’s conflict, “the situation has never been worse” and the resolution’s aim was to offer humanitarian relief and to “avert the disaster unfolding before our eyes.”

    “Our goal with this resolution is clear. The Assad regime needs to stop its military activities around Eastern Ghouta,” said U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Ms. Haley criticized Russia, Syria and Iran for holding up the resolution and said every hour the vote was delayed meant more Syrian mothers had lost their children.

    Cameras worn by Syria’s White Helmet rescuers document the government forces' attacks on rebel-held Eastern Ghouta. Photo: Mohammed Badra/EPA-EFE Photo: Mohammed Badra/EPA-EFE

    After the vote, Russia’s ambassador to the U.N., Vasily Nebenzya, said his country had drawn-out the negotiations to reach a “meaningful” text that wouldn’t be used as a “pretext for a military operation” in Syria.

    In response to Ms. Haley, Mr. Nebenzya said Russia demanded “an end to this reckless rhetoric,” and called for an end to military presence in Syria by antiregime coalition forces. He said that it was up to the parties on the ground to implement a cease-fire and ensure the resolution would be effective.

    It isn’t clear when and how the cease-fire would hold and whether or not the U.N. would immediately be able to dispatch its humanitarian and medical evacuation convoys to the besieged areas.

    Syria’s Ambassador to the U.N. Bashar Ja’afari told the council his government interpreted the resolution to apply to areas in Syria “controlled” by the U.S., which has special forces present in northern Syria; to Afrin, where Turkish military is fighting Kurdish groups; and in the Golan Heights, where Israel has a presence.

    Write to Farnaz Fassihi at farnaz.fassihi@wsj.com