A newly agreed ceasefire in Idlib, Syria's last opposition stronghold, could offer a welcomed respite for the province’s desperate civilian population. But if the agreement doesn't hold, its collapse could usher in the worst humanitarian chapter of the 8-year conflict.
The big picture: The Syrian government announced the ceasefire shortly after UN Secretary-General António Guterres authorized an investigation — requested by a majority of the Security Council — into the Syrian and Russian bombing of hospitals and schools in Idlib. The terms pause the Assad regime's offensive in exchange for a 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) withdrawal by opposition fighters.