The Latest: UN says new aid deliveries planned for Syria

BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the conflict in Syria and the provisional cease-fire proposed by the U.S. and Russia (all times local):

3 p.m.

A U.N. spokesman says new humanitarian aid deliveries are planned for two suburbs of Syria's capital, Damascus, in the "coming days."

Ahmad Fawzi says the deliveries to Moadamiyeh and Kfar Batna will follow other deliveries of aid to besieged areas of Syria in recent weeks.

His comments Tuesday to reporters in Geneva came a day after the U.S. and Russia announced a "cessation of hostilities" agreement set to begin Saturday.

The truce would include Syrian government and opposition forces but not the Islamic State group or the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front.

Fawzi said U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will brief the Security Council "very soon," and that separate task forces on the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian aid for Syria are to meet this week.

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2:10 p.m.

Turkey's prime minister is accusing Russia and Syria, along with Islamic State militants and U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia, of attempting to form a "terror belt" along its border with Syria and says his country won't let it happen.

In the weekly address to legislators from his ruling party Tuesday, Ahmet Davutoglu says the aim is to establish a terror "structure" - made up of the Islamic State group and the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia group YPG - in Syria's north. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization because of its links to Turkey's outlawed Kurdish rebels.

"Turkey is aware of these games aiming to make Turkey a neighbor with a terror structure and will not allow it," Davutoglu said.

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1:20 p.m.

Turkey's deputy prime minister says his country supports the cease-fire agreement for Syria but suggests that its military could continue firing on Syrian Kurdish groups in Syria if their militia "attack" Turkey.

Turkey has been shelling U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia positions in Syria, maintaining that it is responding to attacks or provocations.

Numan Kurtulmus told journalists on Tuesday: "We hope that the PYD will not attack Turkey after Saturday. Of course, Turkey has the right to defend its territory." He was referring to the Syrian Kurdish group, the Democratic Union Party.

Turkey views the U.S.-backed PYD and its armed wing, the YPG, as terrorists because of their affiliation with Turkey's own outlawed Kurdish rebels.

Kurtulmus also said that while Turkey welcomes the provisional truce agreed for Syria, it has "reservations and fears" about possible continued Russian airstrikes on civilians.

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12 p.m.

The Syrian government says that it accepts a proposed truce in the country, adding that operations will continue against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida's branch in Syria.

A Foreign Ministry statement on Tuesday says government forces will have the right to respond to any violation carried out by insurgents.

The official Syrian announcement comes a day after the United States and Russia agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect Saturday.

The main umbrella for Syrian opposition and rebel groups said late Monday that it "agrees to a temporary truce" as long as the main opposition's demands are met.

Indirect peace talks between the Syrian government and HNC collapsed on Feb. 3, because of a large-scale government offensive.

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10:30 a.m.

The main umbrella for Syrian opposition and rebel groups says it "agrees to a temporary truce" as long as the main opposition's demands are met.

The High Negotiations Committee says in a statement issued after its meeting in Saudi Arabia late Monday that it "has given its acceptance of international efforts for a cessation of hostilities in Syria."

The announcement came hours after the United States and Russia agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect Saturday.

The HNC says "acceptance of the truce is conditional" to the Syrian government ending its siege of 18 rebel-held areas, releasing detainees and the cessation of aerial and artillery bombardment.

Indirect peace talks between the Syrian government and HNC collapsed on Feb. 3, because of a large-scale government offensive.