Syrians soldiers sit by a fire in the former rebel-held Ansari district of Aleppo, on December 23, 2016 (AFP Photo/George Ourfalian)
"The general command of the armed forces announces a complete halt to all hostilities on Syrian territory from the zero hour of December 30th," it said in a statement.
It added that the halt excluded combat against the Islamic State group and the former Al-Qaeda affiliate previously known as Al-Nusra Front.