JORDAN BROKERS NEW RUSSIA AND REBEL TALKS OVER SOUTH-WEST SYRIA

▶ Final response to Moscow expected after rebel factions unite on social media to discuss peace terms

Jordan is mediating in talks between Syrian rebel factions and Russia after negotiations failed when rebels repeatedly rejected Moscow’s demand to hand over weapons in southwest Syria, describing it as a humiliating surrender.

The new round of talks that resumed on Tuesday and continued yesterday grouped on social media a 12-member negotiating committee from rebel factions in Deraa Province.

For the first time, it included rebels from the southern town of Quneitra, near the border of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, in a new attempt to reset the negotiations.

The talks began ahead of a meeting in Moscow between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Syria.

On a WhatsApp group that includes Free Syrian Army fighters, Syrian media activists and Syrian politicians, activists shared leaks of the rebels’ response to the Russian demands in order to reach a ceasefire agreement almost two weeks into a punishing campaign by the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.

The operation has focused on seizing control over the south-west region of the country and has displaced 271,000 people.

The rebels suggested that they would hand over their weapons gradually, according to the leaks. They demanded that the regime pulls out of rebel-held areas that it had recently seized and called for the reopening of the Nasib border crossing with Jordan on condition it is run by a civilian administration and secured by the Russian military police, among others.

More than 30 towns have agreed to return to regime control in recent weeks. The Russians are continuing to negotiate with rebel-held towns for their transfer. Moscow and Damascus have halted air strikes while talks continue.

The use of military power, coupled with negotiated surrenders, has allowed the regime to double the area it controls in Deraa Province to 60 per cent since it began operations there on June 19.

“The negotiating committee will submit its final response to Moscow today,” rebel spokesman Ibrahim Al Jabawi told The National. “It seems that the negotiations are genuine this time.”

The spokesman did not give reasons for his optimism. Rebels deeply mistrust the Russians and the regime, so those supporting the talks are being viewed by other opposition forces as willing to betray their own side.

“The opposition realises that Damascus and Moscow are trying to win without war, using divide-and-conquer tactics,” Nicholas Heras, a Syria expert at the Centre for a New American Security in Washington, told The National.

“Whether or not the rebels can hold out and extend the battle for south-west Syria, therefore raising the price tag for Assad to claim control over this region, will depend on how well the rebels can close ranks and unify for the negotiations and battle ahead.”

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the Syrian army’s Russia-backed offensive in Deraa Province.

On Monday, a group of civilians pulled out of the opposition negotiating team and criticised some rebel commanders, accusing them of working for their own interests. They called on the civilian population of south-west Syria to take up arms and fight.

But Amman, rebels say, has repeatedly tried to bring the Russians and the opposition back to the negotiating table.

Jordan is concerned about the humanitarian crisis on its border, with about 60,000 people displaced. It also fears that militants from ISIS affiliate Jaysh Khaled bin Waleed, that operates in the Yarmouk basin close to Jordan’s and Israel’s borders, will infiltrate the country.

While Jordan insists it will keep its borders closed to Syrians, the army began sending aid convoys to Syrians displaced by the fighting since Saturday. Yesterday, it said it had opened three corridors to allow the delivery of aid to Syrians inside their country.

Mr Safadi said dozens of lorries were waiting for Syrian permission to supply humanitarian aid from Jordan to the displaced Syrians.