Syrian rebels threaten to snub peace talks amid cease-fire violations

Syrian rebels have suspended talks over peace negotiations scheduled for later this month, accusing pro-government forces of breaking a cease-fire intended to stem bloodshed ahead of the meeting.

Brokered by Russia and Turkey, the truce was to have been followed by talks between mainstream rebel factions and government representatives in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

But while fighting has largely ebbed in Syria’s north, where Turkey holds influence over most rebel groups, troops allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have continued to press an offensive in the Damascus suburbs.

In a statement published late Monday, 10 rebel factions said they were suspending talks relating to the Astana negotiations or any discussions related to the cease-fire “until it is fully implemented,” citing “major and frequent violations” in the rebel-held areas of Wadi Barada and Eastern Ghouta outside the Syrian capital.

Wadi Barada is a strategically important valley that is home to springs upon which millions of people around Damascus rely for their drinking water. Despite the cease-fire, Syria’s air force has launched near-daily bombing raids on the area for the past two weeks, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the truce as a “historic opportunity,” but experts say it had problems from the start. Most notably, the Syrian army said that “terrorist” organizations would be exempt, implying that Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, an al-Qaeda affiliate and an influential component of what remains of Syria’s armed opposition, would continue to be targeted.

The deal’s shaky progress also underscored the fact that no single player can now fully deliver the government or the rebel side.

While Russia has burnished its reputation as a mediator in weeks of talks with Turkey, it now appears unable to bring the Syrian government in line with the cease-fire.

Turkey has also struggled to bring the most important rebel factions on board. While two of the highest-profile Islamist groups, Ahrar al-Sham and Nour al-Din al-Zinki, have agreed to uphold the cease-fire, they have not signed any agreement to attend peace talks.

 

Source: Syrian rebels threaten to snub peace talks amid cease-fire violations – The Washington Post