Fresh Syria talks begin in Astana

Astana, Oct. 31: A fresh round of peace talks seeking to end Syria’s war opened in the Kazakh capital Astana on Monday, as part of a Moscow-led push supported by Iran and opposition backer Turkey.

The latest round of talks begins days after the Islamic State jihadist group was forced out of its de facto capital Raqqa in northern Syria, in a major victory for the USbacked Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces. Recent rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation have focused on ironing out the details of a Russia-led plan for four de-escalation zones in Syria.

“Closed-format talks have begun,” Kazakh foreign ministry spokesman Anuar Zhainakov said, adding that the two-day negotiations would conclude with statements to the press. Mr Zhainakov confirmed that delegations from the Syrian government and the rebels seeking President Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow had arrived in Astana, as had negotiators from Turkey

Recent rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation have focused on ironing out the details of a Russia-led plan for four de-escalation zones in Syria

and regime Russia and Iran.

Despite backing opposite sides in the war, Ankara and Moscow have been working closely on Syria since a 2016 reconciliation ended a crisis caused by the shooting down of a Russian war plane. A de-escalation zones plan was first tabled in Astana in May to minimise fighting between government forces and moderate rebel factions, as well as improve access for aid for civilians living in the zones.

But international organisations painted the humanitarian situation in eastern Ghouta covered by the zones deal and located just outside the capital Damascus - in dire terms earlier this month.

— AFP

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