Peace Talks in Astana Scheduled for January 23
Russia has said talks between the Syrian government and its opposition are set for January 23, Al Jazeera reported.
The talks will take place in the Kazakh capital of Astana, and aim to build on the cease-fire across Syria brokered by Russia and Turkey on December 30. The tenuous truce has held, although there are continued clashes outside Damascus. The truce excludes the so-called Islamic State and the former al-Qaida affiliate in Syria known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.
“At this time there is no indication that the meeting will be postponed. The date of January 23 is set,” a Russian foreign ministry official told Agence France-Presse, adding that participant lists are being prepared.
On Monday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he is ready to negotiate with the opposition in Astana “on everything,” but the opposition has said “they do not trust the leadership in Damascus.”
It has not yet been specified whether government and rebel representatives will negotiate directly or through mediators. U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Geneva are scheduled for February.
Government Says Deal Reached With Rebels in Barada Valley, but Opposition Denies
The Syrian government and rebels have reached a deal to allow the army inside Barada Valley to fix the capital’s water supply, the provincial governor said on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse, but the deal was denied by opposition figures.
Opposition National Coalition official Ahmad Ramadan told the Agence France-Presse, “This information is untrue and is a part of the (regime and its allies’) psychological warfare.”
However, several hundred civilians are reportedly leaving the valley under the alleged agreement. Syrian state-run news agency SANA also reported people leaving the area, including a number of rebel fighters.
“The agreement that was reached in principle requires the militants to give up their heavy weapons and for non-local militants to leave the area of Wadi Barada,” Damascus provincial governor Alaa Ibrahim told SANA. He added that the army would then enter to repair the water plant and clear the area of bombs and mines.
Located 10 miles northwest of the capital, water-rich Barada Valley has suffered clashes that have threatened the fragile truce negotiated by Russia and Turkey. Fighting ensued on December 23 after the government accused rebels of polluting the Ain al-Fijeh water plant in the valley, which supplies 70 percent of the capital’s water. Rebels accused government airstrikes of destroying the water plant. More than 5 million people in Damascus have been without drinking water for the past two weeks.
Russia Sends Additional Fighter Jets to Syria After Announcing to Scale Back
Moscow has sent a dozen more fighter jets to Syria, one week after President Vladimir Putin announced a reduction in Russia’s military deployment there, the Telegraph reported.
Russia’s aircraft carrier was recalled from Syria last Friday. However, on Monday, up to 12 Su-25 ground attack aircraft arrived at Russia’s base in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia to participate in air raids on rebel-held territory around Aleppo, according to pro-government website Al-Masdar News.
Airstrikes on rebel-held areas in the western Aleppo countryside intensified on Wednesday, the monitor The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
RECOMMENDED READS:
- The New York Times: Assad Has Won in Syria. But Syria Hardly Exists
- SAMS: The Failure of UN Security Council Resolution 2286 in Preventing Attacks on Healthcare in Syria
- Washington Institute: Assad Needs ‘Useless Syria’ Too
- Middle East Eye: Last Chance Saloon for Syria’s Rebels
- Associated Press: Turkey Bogged Down in Syria as It Realigns With Russia