World awaits Syria's cease-fire decision

Syrians and the world awaited word on whether the Syrian government would agree to a temporary cease-fire for Eid al-Adha, which begins Friday. Government officials were expected to announce Thursday whether they would halt the violence that has gripped the country since March 2011 for the four-day holiday, CNN reported. The government promoted several goodwill gestures as precursors to its announcement on whether it would agree to the temporary cease-fire brokered by U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. Syrian state-run television showed video of men walking out from behind bars as part of the government's latest amnesty program for criminals, a commentator said. Brahimi said Wednesday the government has agreed "in principle" to stopping violence in time for Eid al-Adha, which lasts four days. However, a Foreign Ministry spokesman told CNN the idea was "still under study," and a final decision would be announced Thursday. The government's amnesty program came a week after rebel fighters told al-Jazeera they would agree to a proposed cease-fire only if the government released prisoners, ended its siege in Homs and stopped its air attacks. The government's moves drew skepticism from international human rights organizations and rebels, who also doubted whether President Bashar Assad's government would actually follow through with the cease-fire, CNN said. "Although Assad issued four amnesty decrees in 2011 and two others in January and May, security forces have kept many peaceful activists in detention," Human Rights Watch said in a statement. Concerning the situation in Homs, Syria's state-run news agency said life in the embattled city had returned to normal and called for residents to come back. "All their needs and necessities are now available, from security to supplies and food," the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported. The Free Syrian Army, a loosely organized group of men fighting Assad's forces, said they have not issued a united statement on whether they would agree to suspend fighting. A man who said he was a deputy commander told CNN Wednesday the rebels don't trust the government. "We don't think the regime is serious with agreeing to the cease-fire since more than 200 people are martyred every day by the government's forces," Malek Kurdi said.