RUSSIA DEFENDS ALEPPO ASSAULT AS PEACE TALKS CLOSE TO COLLAPSE
Russia defended an offensive near Syria’s mainly rebel-held city of Aleppo as a response to “provocations” by an alQaida wing, while the opposition blamed President Bashar Assad’s forces for the near-collapse of an almost two-month truce.
Armed opposition groups that have signed on to the ceasefire must end their ties with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front to avoid getting attacked, said Alexei Borodavkin, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, who represents his country at the Syria peace talks.
“If they broke off decisively from Nusra and indicated where their positions are, we could ensure the ceasefire would apply strictly to them,” Borodavkin said Wednesday, referring to the Army of Islam and Ahrar as-Sham, two main rebel factions.
A surge in fighting around Aleppo and in the north, northwest and centre of Syria is threatening the truce and peace talks in Geneva.