A month ago, the prognosis for the conflict in Syria was more violence and death, with the Russian air force systematically targeting rebel positions in their final stronghold in Syria's Idlib province, and the Syrian army, aided by pro-Iranian militias and Hezbollah fighters, massing to begin an offensive expected to result in a massive humanitarian catastrophe. Last-second diplomacy on the part of Turkey and Russia led to a cease-fire, allowing Turkey time to work with rebels to create demilitarized buffer zones separating them from the Syrian army. The intention was to de-escalate the conflict while all parties sought a political, as opposed to a military, solution to the nearly eight-year war - but few expected that would work Shifting political sands may now mean a longer pause is in order.
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