Russian air strikes erode hopes for peace deal
Russian warplanes pounded Aleppo yesterday in the heaviest bombardment since the Syrian ceasefire came into effect three months ago.
The Kremlin warned on Friday that it might restart the bombing of any rebel groups who refuse to sign up to a peace deal this week. Russia is expanding its military presence in Syria and has at least four bases in the country.
Violence in the north has been increasing steadily in recent weeks as the ceasefire agreed in February unravels. Rebel groups set a deadline yesterday for the United States and Russian brokers of the deal to halt a regime offensive in the Damascus area.
‘‘We are giving the sponsors of the ceasefire 48 hours to rescue what remains of the accord and to force the criminal regime of Assad and his allies to halt their brutal offensive,’’ 29 rebel groups said.
A sticking point remains over which groups should be classed as terrorist organisations. The ceasefire agreement excluded Isis and the Nusra Front, which is aligned with al-Qaeda. However, Russia and the Assad regime maintain that all opposition groups are aligned with terrorists, which makes them fair game for continued attacks.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said last week: ‘‘We reserve the right, starting May 25, to unilaterally strike units of international terrorist organisations and illegal armed groups that have not signed up to the cessation of hostilities.’’
He invited the US to join Russia in bombing the Nusra Front positions. However, John Kirby, a state department spokesman, said there was ‘‘no agreement to conduct joint air strikes with the Russians in Syria’’.
Yesterday’s attacks targeted the Castello road, in the west of Aleppo, which is the last route in and out of the rebel-controlled suburbs. The city is divided between regime troops and rebel groups, who have been vying with Kurdish militias for control of the road since January.
Scores of civilians have been killed and injured on the road this year, including medical workers transporting patients to the Turkish border. Rebel groups and monitors said the strikes, carried out by Russian and regime jets, had continued for nine hours.
General Joseph Votel, the top US commander in the Middle East, made a surprise visit to northern Syria at the weekend – fuelling speculation of an imminent operation to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of Islamic State.
The American investment in northern Syria has been creeping up since it formed a tacit alliance with the YPG, a Kurdish militia, in late 2014. It has pushed for the creation of a multi-ethnic unit called the Syrian Democratic Force which it hopes can spearhead the assault on Raqqa.
In Mosul, the Isis stronghold in northern Iraq, residents have said the jihadists are testing homemade chlorine and mustard gas on prisoners. They have set up laboratories in residential areas to avoid being targeted by coalition air strikes.