Foreign Troops to Act as Buffer in Russia’s Safe Zone Proposal

Russia has proposed the introduction of foreign troops to act as a buffer between warring factions in Syria as part of its plan to introduce “de-escalation zones” and suspend hostilities in the country, reports the New York Times.

The draft proposal was presented to those in attendance at the Astana peace talks on Wednesday. The plan proposes zones in the four main areas of the country where rebels with no affiliation to ISIS hold territory; the foreign military “buffers” would be installed between them and government forces.

In a statement reported by Russian television following a meeting with Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan, President Vladimir Putin said, “We as guarantors – Turkey, Iran, Russia – will do everything for this to work.”

UPDATE: Russia, Turkey and Iran have signed an agreement ratifying the safe zone proposal, despite protests from some Syrian rebel groups over Iran’s involvement, reports Russia Today.

U.K. Opposition Leaders Urge Caution Over P.M.’s Desire to Join Syrian Conflict

British prime minister Theresa May has been urged not to rush into committing to military action in Syria should she win a commanding majority in the country’s forthcoming general election, reports the Guardian.

Opposition leaders in the U.K. were swift to counsel caution over becoming embroiled in the Syrian conflict after it emerged that the Conservative leader was considering holding a vote on military intervention in Syria in the coming months.

Echoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s statements last month, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron voiced concerns that May “would back military intervention against Assad in Syria outside of a wider diplomatic strategy and without U.N. backing,” adding, “May would be wise not to use Syria as a campaign tool in this election. This would come across as calculating, unconsidered and without the best interest of the Syrian people at heart.”

There has been no official confirmation of a vote over Syria from May’s cabinet, but sources close to the prime minister have indicated she is keen to have parliamentary backing allowing Britain to accompany U.S forces in any further action against the Assad regime.

Aid Delivery to Eastern Ghouta an ‘Embarrassment,’ Say Local Leaders

A long-awaited aid delivery to besieged Eastern Ghouta has been branded “an embarrassment” after it emerged that the much-needed supplies would provide relief for only a week at most, reports Syria Direct.

Residents of Douma, the area’s de facto capital, were delighted when a convoy of 51 trucks carrying U.N. humanitarian assistance supplies was allowed to pass through a pro-government blockade on Tuesday night – the first such delivery since October 2016 – but joy turned to despair when the paucity of the supplies became apparent.

Khalid Aybour, head of the Douma Local Council, said, “It was critical that assistance enter now. But as I see it, this is an embarrassment for the Douma Local Council considering the meager amount of aid. The supplies are only enough for a few days. There isn’t even enough for the city of Douma alone – the aid will total 7,000 meals for the 25,000 thousand families in the city.”

With no plans for further aid to be delivered, Aybour believes the gesture was political, saying, “The regime is just trying to aggravate the infighting between rebel factions with the timing of this aid delivery.”

Recommended Reads

• Washington Post: The Russia-Turkey-U.S. Tussle to Save Syria Will Still Get Very Messy
• Reliefweb: Syria: Monthly Human Rights Digest – April 2017
• Al Jazeera: Residents of Besieged Ghouta Fear It Is Time to Flee (Video)
• Globe and Mail: In Syria, IS is Diminished, But al-Assad is Not