Syrian rebels freeze talks of peace negotiations due to ceasefire violations

About 10 Syrian rebel groups announced Monday they were suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital Astana, due to “violations” by Damascus of a four-day old truce. The rebels said they “respected the ceasefire” but the government and its allies have continued to bomb rebel regions.

Despite repeated questions put to the regime’s backer, (Russia) these violations continue, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Syrian rebel statement

For the last two weeks, even before the start of a global truce brokered by Ankara and Moscow, Syria’s air force has launched almost daily bombing raids on Wadi Barada, some 10 miles from Damascus. The regime of President Bashar Assad is trying to seize control of the region which supplies the main drinking water for four million inhabitants of the capital and surrounding areas. On Monday, the Syrian army and militant Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah advanced to the outskirts of Ain al-Fijeh, the primary water source in the area, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

Any (advance) on the ground goes against the (ceasefire) agreement and if things don’t return to how they were before, the accord will be considered null and void.

Syrian rebel statement

Middle East