Details are still to be worked out on the upcoming Syrian peace talks, to be held in Kazakhstan. The talks are to happen some time in mid-January, and there will be no preconditions for anyone’s participation, but talks trying to iron out the last details are on hold.
That’s because while the ceasefire is mostly holding, ongoing disputes over whether or not the Nusra Front are a party to the ceasefire continue to rile the rebels, and rebel groups have withdrawn from participation in the talks on setting up the peace talks.
Similar problems have afflicted previous attempts to put together peace talks in Syria, and getting the rebels to even agree to attend usually takes protracted back-door negotiations, meaning once again that the talks are looming with a very real possibility that the rebels aren’t going to attend.
The rebels are citing the ongoing military attacks on the Nusra Front, claiming they are “violations,” and that they won’t talk if the ceasefire isn’t in place. This disagreement stems from the wording of the ceasefire excluding UN-recognized terror groups. Though Nusra is a recognized terror group, they rebranded themselves under a new name over the summer, and the rebels argue that that makes them a different group.
Thank you for providing the reference to Herald Sun, as it was unclear who is raising the objection and ehere are the violations. It is really amazing how much effort the Western media is investing into defending Al-Qaeda, and its Al-Nusra version, to be renamed and suddenly demanding to be removed from terrorist list. Al-Nusra is responsible for contaminating water supplies — and there will be no cease fire against such barbarism.
While Al-Nusra is chiefly raising the complaint of BEING EXCLUDED, while simultaneously “refusing to attend”. This may be a sufficiently complicated for Western media, but an increading number of alternative media is springing up — eager to catch mainstream media in lies.
Another deception in Herald Sun is FSA. There is NO unbrella organization, while FSA units opeate independently. Thus — FSA units that joined Turkidh Army are in the state of war with FSA units allied with Al-Nusra. Last week, Turkish allied FSA soldiers were arrested by FSA operating with Al-Nusrs in Idlib. The Russia/Turkey deal excludes all Al-Nusra affiliates. They were not invited to sign cesse fire agreement, or the sgreement on cease fire monitoring, nor agreement on peace talks in Astana.
Cease fire held with seven that were invited, snd signed agreements. This deal is not popular in Syria –as population is not happy that these islamists will be given political privileges, while holding people under occupation. There is a growing pressure on the government not go give the fighters amnesty. But the government is more concerned now that they are winning to bring peace to as many pockets of Islamist enclaves, establish lical policing and recruit those pardoned into army.
Isn’t it special! Today, US B-52 bombers attacked Syrian village Salmandar on the border with Turkey, held by Al-Nusra! That did not make much sense considering that US is still shedding tears over the “fall” of Aleppo — and is softly advocating that renamed and rebranded Al-Qaeda should participate in talks. With all the derision being layed down thick upon bad Syrian forces “violating cease fire” by attacking Al-Nusra and their affiliates, one would find this very inconsistent. The devil is indeed in the details! Recently, Al-Nusra and one of its affiliates, FSA groups, “arrested” FSA militants that are now working under Turkish command. I wondered at the fancy designation of “arrested”, but it made sense as Al-Nusra did not want the villages on the border that support Turkey turned against them. Then, two B-52 show up and bombed — ONLY THE PRISON. Scores dead and many injured! So, problem solved! FSA groups, joining Turkey are put on notice. And those even contemplating leaving Al-Nusra — are given clear message that they will not be welcome back to their villages and to their families if they abandon Al-Nusra.
Somehow I doubt this will make Al-Nusra popular, but they need not care. at this point, just like in Aleppo, they rule by brutality. Now that Turkey has taken many ISIS villages along the border, and is operating at Al-Bab, and Russian air force attacking region between Al-Nusra controlled Idlib and Al-Bab, the last corridors of weapons supply are being cut off. Corridors from Turkey are. now cut off, and operation against ISIS at Al Bab will stop the most important route — from Iraq, through Raqqa and to Idlib.
I am wondering if bombing of Al-Nusra prison will be classified as a mistake. An elegant way if killing Al-Nusra oponents, while Al-Nusra will not be blamed. Amazing to see taxpayers dollars at work.