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Putin pulls out of Paris trip amid Syria tensions

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has cancelled a planned trip to Paris next week, after his French counterpart said he would see him only fo...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cancelled a planned trip to Paris next week, after his French counterpart said he would see him only for talks on Syria. Francois Hollande had himself expressed reservations about a meeting amid growing French anger at the Russian-backed Syrian government onslaught against rebel-held areas of the city of Aleppo. Hollande told the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on Tuesday that the cancellation came after he made it known he would not accompany Putin to ceremonies, such as the inauguration of a new Russian Orthodox cathedral in Paris. “Dialogue is necessary but it must be firm and frank. Otherwise it has no place and it is a charade,” Hollande said. “So I’m ready to meet President Putin at any time – if we can make progress on peace, to stop the bombardments and to declare a truce.” French officials have been grappling for ways to put new pressure on Russia after Moscow vetoed a French-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria. 11 members support FR resolution on #Aleppo but Russia uses its veto to stop it. pic.twitter.com/WFhnmgUJQ6— La France à l’ONU (@franceonu) 8 octobre 2016 The cancellation of Putin’s visit is the latest episode in deteriorating relations between Moscow and the West. On Monday, France’s foreign minister said his diplomats were working to find a way for the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor to launch an investigation into war crimes it says have been committed by Syrian and Russian forces in eastern Aleppo. France wants international war crimes investigation in Syria https://t.co/zewKNZdgeV— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) 10 octobre 2016 Diplomats have also said Paris is leading discussions on whether to impose new European Union sanctions on Russia specifically over Syria, where Moscow backs President Bashar al-Assad in a more than five-year-old civil war. Making no mention of Syria, the Kremlin confirmed there would be no trip on October 19. It said the Russian leader was ready to come to Paris at President Hollande’s convenience. Less

Airstrikes intensify in Aleppo, ahead of US-Russia peace talks

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The Syrian government has renewed its offensive on Aleppo, ahead of US-Russia peace talks over the weekend. Rescue workers say at least 15...

Assad: Saudis offered aid in exchange for cutting ties between Syria and Iran

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President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has revealed that he was offered aid by Saudi Arabia if he denounced Iran. The leader, whose regime has...

Syrian rebels oust ISIL from its ‘propaganda town’ of Dabiq

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Turkish-backed rebels have taken the Syrian town of Dabiq from ISIL militants forcing the jihadist group from their symbolically important s...

'US hell bent on removing Assad from Syria'

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The US is warning of a possible chemical attack by the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group as a way to justify Washington’s sustained military in...

Fighting resumes after ceasefire in Aleppo

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The battle for control of the northern city of Aleppo has intensified with air strikes, ground offensives and shelling. Monitors say it co...

The battle for control of the northern city of Aleppo has intensified with air strikes, ground offensives and shelling. Monitors say it comes the morning after a resurgence in fighting ended a Russian ceasefire. Russia had declared a unilateral ceasefire from Thursday which was rejected by the rebels. It lasted three days and did not result in hoped-for medical evacuations from the city or deliveries of aid. Syria: heavy clashes mark end to Aleppo ceasefire https://t.co/c3XfRmXemr— The Guardian (@guardian) October 23, 2016 “Fierce fighting” There has been fierce fighting between insurgents and Syrian government and allied forces along a strategic frontline in southwest Aleppo. In August, rebels briefly broke through the government-held strip of land to try to break a siege on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says there was heavy rebel shelling onto the government-controlled Hamdaniya district. “Air strikes” Air strikes within the city stopped for three days but resumed late on Saturday as the third day of the truce expired. Syrian or Russian air strikes hit a number of rebel-held areas just west of Aleppo city from dawn on Sunday. Air raids also hit north and west of the city, monitors say. Why Aleppo? Aleppo has been a major battleground in the Syrian conflict, now in its sixth year. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by the Russian military, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and groups of Shi’ite Muslim militias wants to take full control of the city. The Red Cross have filmed the devastation seen on the way into Aleppo pic.twitter.com/d53SibgR8d— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 23, 2016 FSA warning The Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel alliance says it is preparing for a big attack to break the siege of eastern Aleppo. In a statement on Saturday, the alliance warned residents in and around the city to stay away from Syrian government military buildings for their own safety. The FSA says it has repelled various offensives by government and allied forces along the frontline separating rebels from government-held Aleppo city late on Saturday. Less

Infant death toll rises in fresh Syria attacks

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Syrian rebels have shelled two neighbourhoods in government-held western Aleppo, killing at least five children and a baby, a monitoring gro...

Russia, Iran and Syria discuss action plan for tackling regional conflict

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Syrian rebel forces have announced the launch of a counter attack against government forces and their allies in an attempt to break a siege ...

Fierce fighting breaks out in northwestern Aleppo

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Fierce fighting has broken out in the al Zahra neighbourhood of northwestern Aleppo. Opposition fighters launched a counter-offensive on g...

Fierce fighting has broken out in the al Zahra neighbourhood of northwestern Aleppo. Opposition fighters launched a counter-offensive on government-held parts of the city on Friday. A Syrian pro-rebel media outlet announced on Saturday rebels had taken the residential suburb of Dahiyet al-Assad. “In the name of Allah the Merciful, since yesterday we have taken over Dahiyet Al-Assad and have liberated it entirely and thank God for this and now we are on the outskirts of Al-Academia,” a rebel spokesman told reporters. The dead and injured Activists say more than 15 civilians have been killed and 100 wounded by rebel shelling sicne the counter-offensive began on Friday. State media say seven people have died. There are conflicting accounts of advances in areas on Aleppo’s outskirts. While the insurgents claim to have taken Dahiyet al-Assad, a Syrian military source says the army and its allies have thwarted what he calls “an extensive attack” on south and west Aleppo. Aleppo – in depth Debris can be seen littering the streets of what is said to be Dahiyet al-Assad. A Syrian pro-rebel media outlet said on Saturday rebels had taken the area of western Aleppo in a counter-offensive on government-held parts of the city. Syrian rebels, including jihadists, launched an offensive on Friday. Their aim is to break a weeks-long siege on eastern Aleppo. Activists say more than 15 civilians have been killed and 100 wounded by rebel shelling of the government-held west of the city. State media say seven people have died. There are conflicting accounts of advances in areas on the city’s outskirts. Some claim the insurgents have taken part of the residential suburb of Dahiyet al-Assad. Others say most of it has been taken. However, a Syrian military source says the army and its allies have thwarted what he calls “an extensive attack” on south and west Aleppo. State television is reporting the army has destroyed four car bombs. Iraqi Shi’ite militia A coalition of Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militia plans to cross the border into Syria to fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad after “clearing” ISIL militants from Iraq. Iraqi Shi’ite militia are already fighting on Assad’s side in the country’s conflict. The coalition is currently participating in an Iraqi government offensive to recapture the northern city of Mosul from ISIL. The announcement by the coalition, known as Hashid Shaabi or Popular Mobilisation, would formalise its involvement in Syria. What they are saying “After clearing all our land from these terrorist gangs, we are fully ready to go to any place that contains a threat to Iraqi national security,” – Ahmed al-Asadi, spokesman for the Shi’ite coalition. Less

Russia tells rebels to leave Aleppo by Friday

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Syrian rebels claim there have been more government and Russian airstrikes around the outskirts of Aleppo. Moscow, which says it has obse...

Syria’s Assad sees Trump as ‘an ally against terrorism’

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President Bashar al-Assad has said Donald Trump could be a “natural ally” in the fight against terrorism. In his first reaction to Tru...

Syria: Donald Trump could become a 'natural ally' – Assad

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The Syrian President Bashar Assad said he hoped for an "ally" in US President-elect Donald Trump, in an interview with Portuguese news chann...

Iraqi militias take Tal Afar air base from ISIL

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Iraqi Shi’ite militias say they have driven ISIL fighters from an air base west of Mosul. The victory, if confirmed, would threaten the ...

Iraqi Shi’ite militias say they have driven ISIL fighters from an air base west of Mosul. The victory, if confirmed, would threaten the Sunni group’s supply route from Syria to its last major stronghold in Iraq. #BREAKING: #PMF announce full liberation of #TalAfar airport after fierce clashes with #ISIS killing many of them #MosulOffensive pic.twitter.com/i5vKvuYPi5— Iraq Insider (@iraqinside) November 16, 2016 What is the strategic significance? If confirmed, the capture could be a significant development in the campaign to recapture Mosul, ISIL’s de facto capital. The group’s forces swept through Iraq in 2014 and set up a self-declared caliphate in a swathe of Syria and northern Iraq. Tal Afar The town lies around 60 kilometres west of Mosul on the main road to Syria. Its seizure could also alarm Turkey, which is wary of Iraqi Shi’ite involvement in the civil war in Syria. The Mosul campaign While the Shi’ite coalition is fighting ISIL west of Mosul, regular army and police units are trying to advance from the other sides. They are backed by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters deployed in the north and the east. Iraqi counter-terrorism forces breached ISIL defences in eastern Mosul two weeks ago. However, they have faced resistance from militants who have fought back with suicide car bombs, snipers and waves of counter-attacks. The government forces have been fighting in a dozen of the estimated 60 neighbourhoods on the eastern part of Mosul, which is divided by the Tigris River. They have yet to enter the town from the northern and southern sides. Iraqi special forces begin new push deeper into the northern city of Mosul in fight against Islamic State group. https://t.co/NI32jl8Mir— The Associated Press (@AP) November 16, 2016 When did the campaign start? On October the 17th. Using air and ground support from a US-led coalition, it is the biggest military operation in Iraq in more than a decade, since the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. A springboard for Syria? Popular mobilisation, known locally by its Arabic name, Hashid Shaabi, says it plans to use the Tal Afar air base to take the battle against ISIL into Syria. The group will fight on the side of President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran. Although it officially reports to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, it is mainly trained and equipped by Iran. The prospect of sectarian strife The advance towards Tal Afar has raised the prospect of sectarian strife. It has also alarmed neighbouring Turkey. The town had a mixed population of mainly Shi’ite and Sunni Turkmen before ISIL captured it in 2014. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that Turkey is reinforcing its troops on the border with Iraq and will respond if the militias “cause terror” in Tal Afar. Iraq has sought to calm fears that the operation to recapture Tal Afar would ignite sectarian tension or escalate problems with Turkey. Haider al-Abadi has said the attacking force entering the town will reflect its religious and ethnic make-up. The Nineveh region surrounding Mosul is a mosaic of ethnic and religious communities, including Arabs, Turkmen, Kurds, Yazidis, Christians, Sunnis and Shi’ites. Sunni Arabs, however, are by far the overwhelming majority. #Turkey’s President #Erdogan said that “Popular Mobilization Units” #PMU still pose a threat to the people of #Mosul & Turkmen. RT_Erdogan pic.twitter.com/qAWIL7eMwj— The Baghdad Post (TheBaghdadPostE) November 15, 2016 Mosul in numbers 5-6,000 ISIL fighters 100,000 Iraqi coalition fighters No official casualty figures 57,000 displaced by fighting – UN 1,000,000 reportedly being used as human shields The desecration of Nimrud Iraqi experts are setting up field teams to assess the damage to the historic remains in Nimrud. ISIL have been driven out of the town but are said to have destroyed as much as they could beore they left. The worst of the damage is said to have been caused in the last two months as the Iraqi army advanced. This seems to have been confirmed by evidence from satellite images. Remains of the ancient palace in Assyrian city of Nimrud reduced to rubble after Islamic State militants swept through northern Iraq. pic.twitter.com/91ArGLQET9— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 16, 2016 What they are saying “The airport of Tal Afar has been liberated,” – Yusif al-Kallabi, spokesman for Popular Mobilisation, a coalition of mainly Iranian-backed militias. “Tal Afar will be the starting block for the liberation of all the area to the Syrian border and beyond the Syrian border,” – Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Badr Organisation, the largest component in the Popular Mobilisation. . Less

Syria offers Russia priority in reconstruction contracts following civil war destruction

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A Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has met Syrian officials, including President Bashar al-Assad in Damascu...

The battle for Mosul rages on

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Escorted to safety Iraqi forces are escorting civilians to safety on the eastern outskirts of Mosul. Carrying what they can, the vulnera...

Escorted to safety Iraqi forces are escorting civilians to safety on the eastern outskirts of Mosul. Carrying what they can, the vulnerable and elderly are streaming out of the area. ISIL militants have been steadily retreating from areas around Mosul into the city since the battle started on October 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led coalition. Tal Afar Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have fled Tal Afar as Shi’ite paramilitary groups close in on the ISIL-held town on the road between Mosul and Raqqa. These are the two main cities of the militant group’s self-styled caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The strategy Popular Mobiliation units, a coalition of mostly Iranian-trained and backed militias, are trying to encircle Tal Afar, a mostly ethnic Turkmen town. It is part of the offensive to capture Mosul, the last major city stronghold of ISIL in Iraq. The offensive started on October the 17th, with air and ground support from a US-led coalition. It is turning into the most complex campaign in Iraq since the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and empowered the nation’s Shi’ite majority. Humanitarian concerns The exodus from Tal Afar, 60km west of Mosul, is causing concern among humanitarian organisations. Officials say some of those fleeing are heading deeper into insurgents territory, where aid cannot be sent to them. Around 3,000 families have left the town. Around half are heading southwest towards Syria The other half are heading northward into Kurdish-held territory, according to Nuraldin Qablan, a Tal Afar representative in the Nineveh provincial council. ISIL started on Sunday evening to allow people to leave after it fired mortars at Popular Mobilisation positions at the airport south of the city. Popular Mobilisation forces responded, he added. A young girl stands with other displaced Iraqis on the back of the truck that helped them escape #Mosul. They’re en route to an IDP camp. pic.twitter.com/Nd1tEvRxa8— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) November 21, 2016 More than 68,000 people are registered as displaced because of the fighting, according to UN estimates. The figure does not include the thousands of people reportedly rounded up in villages around Mosul and forced to accompany ISIL fighters to cover their retreat towards the city. It also does not include the 3,000 families which have fled Tal Afar. A question of ethnicity The people fleeing from Tal Afar are from the Sunni community, which makes up a majority in the Nineveh province in and around Mosul. The town also had a Shi’ite community which fled in 2014 when the hardline Sunni group swept through the region. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has tried to allay fears of ethnic and sectarian killings in Tal Afar. He has said any force sent to recapture the city would reflect its diversity. The latest on Mosul A Mosul resident says air strikes have intensified on the western part of the city, which is divided by the Tigris river running through its centre. Iraqi military estimates put the number of insurgents in Mosul at 5,000 to 6,000, facing a 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government units, peshmerga fighters and Shi’ite militias. Mosul’s capture is seen as crucial towards dismantling the caliphate. ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi, who is believed to have withdrawn to a remote aread near the Syrian border, has told his fighters there can be no retreat. Iraqi government forces say three neighbourhoods on the eastern outskirts of the ISIL-held city have been secured. The division has been trying to secure the area of Intisar for nearly three weeks clearing it of booby traps, snipers and remaining militants. “Our suffering is the suffering of everyone.” pic.twitter.com/nWr7vO9XN0— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 23, 2016 What Turkey says Turkey is alarmed that regional rival Iran could extend its power through proxy groups to an area to the Turkish and Syrian borders where Ankara is backing rebels opposed to the Russian and Iranian-backed Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad. Refering to its close ties to Tal Afar’s Turkmen population, Turkey has threatened to intervene to prevent revenge killings should Popular Mobilisation forces storm the town. What they are saying “We ask Kurdish authorities to open a safe passage for them,” – Nuraldin Qablan, a Tal Afar representative in the Nineveh provincial council. “We have cleared the captured neighbourhoods of Shahrazad, al-Shaimaa and al-Intisar, we will keep advancing, spirits are high,” – Colonel Haitham Shakir, Iraqi Army Ninth Armoured Division. In tweets Islamic State group’s media arm says an airstrike by US-led coalition has “disabled” 4th Mosul bridge. https://t.co/wCqPXMAkeb— The Associated Press (@AP) November 23, 2016 We must protect the rights of those escaping #Mosul. In 1 month, almost 60,000 have fled. https://t.co/TSb87rgKG5 pic.twitter.com/hoFN6EGGii— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) November 20, 2016 Less

Siege of Aleppo: battle reaches crescendo

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Syrian pro-government forces are believed to have reclaimed the largest rebel-controlled district in Aleppo. East Aleppo’s Hanano distri...

Syrian army breaks through into key al-Sakhour district of eastern Aleppo

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Rebel-held territory in eastern Aleppo has been split in two after Syrian government forces captured the key district of al-Sakhour. The B...

Syrian army captures a third of rebel-held territory in east Aleppo

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The Syrian army and its allies have captured a large swathe of eastern Aleppo in a rapid advance against opposition rebel positions. Facin...

Gains made by both sides in battle for Aleppo while evacuation deals have been brokered in southern Syria

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Gains are believed to have been made both by rebels and regime forces in the battle for Aleppo. In the southern district of al Sheikh Saee...

Aleppo: Syrian army “seizes all of Old City’

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Syrian government forces have reportedly recaptured all of Aleppo’s historic ‘Old City’, pushing the last remaining rebels there out. ...

Syrian forces reject rebel call for truce in Aleppo

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Syrian army officers inspect the Old City of Aleppo after regaining full control of it as retreating rebels call for an immediate five-day t...

Syrian army officers inspect the Old City of Aleppo after regaining full control of it as retreating rebels call for an immediate five-day truce. Government forces and allies have recently made rapid gains against insurgents and have rejected the idea of a ceasefire unless rebels leave the rest of Aleppo. Syrian rebels are continuing to fight despite being pushed into an ever shrinking area of the eastern part of the city. The conflict has caused thousands of civilians to flee into government controlled areas in search of food. The rebels say they want a short truce to evacuate 500 critical medical cases. AUN official said on Wednesday (Dec 7) about 31,500 people from east Aleppo had been displaced around the entire city over the past week, with hundreds more seen on the move. With hospitals, clinics, water and food cut off, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the situation was “heart-breaking.” We continue to call for full access so we can deliver lifesaving assistance to the people of #Aleppo pic.twitter.com/KV86IygFom— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) December 4, 2016 Damascus and ally Moscow say they will assist with humanitarian relief once the rebels have disarmed and withdrawn. #Aleppo : Syrian army Help civilians and children to exit from Marja district in east Aleppo pic.twitter.com/EWNJNWazP3— Yusha Yuseef (@MIG29_) December 7, 2016 Outside of Aleppo, the government and its allies are also putting severe pressure on remaining rebel redoubts. “The decision to liberate all of Syria is taken and Aleppo is part of it,” President Bashar al-Assad said in a newspaper interview, according to pro-Damascus television station al-Mayadeen. He described the city as the “last hope” of rebels and their backers. On the diplomatic there have been talks between the US and Russia on the fringes of a two-day European security and cooperation (OSCE) meeting in Hamburg. But with the Syrian regime sensing a pivotal victory in Aleppo, Washington and opposition allies appear to have fewer negotiation cards to play. Less

Britain’s MI6 chief warns of ‘unprecedented’ terror threat to UK

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ISIL militants are using the chaos created by the Russian backed military campaign of Bashar al-Assad in Syria to plot attacks against the U...

Aleppo: conflicting reports over a halt in the offensive

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There are conflicting reports coming out of Aleppo. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is on record as saying the Syrian government fo...

There are conflicting reports coming out of Aleppo. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is on record as saying the Syrian government forces, back by Moscow, have halted their offensive to retake the rebel-held east of the city. However, there are multiple eyewitness reports of fighting continuing on the ground. What Russia says Russian news agencies are quoting the country’s foreign minister as saying the Syrian army has halted its military activity to let civilians leave rebel-held territory. BREAKING: #SyrianArmy suspends combat operations in #Aleppo – #Lavrov https://t.co/o1aaquYiYl #Syria pic.twitter.com/mJTn6GKyHp— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) December 8, 2016 “Combat operations by the Syrian army in east Aleppo have been suspended because the largest operation of evacuation of civilians from east Aleppo is being carried out. A column of about 8 thousand people, it is a tremendous operation,” Sergei Lavrov told the Sputnik news agency. Russia’s air force is providing tactical support on the Syrian government side, which is also backed by Shi’ite militias from Arab countries. Read more here What eyewitnesses are saying However, eyewitnesses say Syrian government forces are pressing ahead with an offensive in Aleppo, as part of their push to retake all of the besieged, rebel-held east of the country. A military source told the Reuters news agency: “Until now, 32 neighbourhoods have been liberated out of an original 40 in east Aleppo..the advance is going according to plan and is sometimes faster than expected.” “Helicopters, warplanes and rocket bombardment, like every other day. Nothing has changed,” a Turkish-based official with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group told the Reuters news agency, as of 0930 am on Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, says government rocket attacks on frontline areas of east Aleppo continued overnight into Friday morning. Calls for a ceasefire On Wednesday, the rebels called for an immediate, five-day ceasefire and for civilians and wounded to be immediately evacuated to safety. However, they gave no indication they were ready to with draw, as demanded by Damascus and its ally, Moscow. Syria and Russia say they want the rebels to leave Aleppo and will not consider a ceasefire until that happens. What is the UN saying? The UN says fresh talks are needed to find a political solution to the six-year conflict. Another round of discussions will be held in Geneva on Saturday. “At this stage we have discovered that evacuation of civilians is taking place sometimes almost immediately,” the UN’s Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura told reporters in New York on Thursday. “Russia and Syria have not waited for us. The same could be said for the evacuation or the voluntary evacuation of fighters if there was an arrangement on that.” “Saturday is the day, that’s what is being discussed in Geneva.” #Aleppo DeMistura: Syrian gov suspended active combat activity for 8,000 civilians to be evacuated; will meet #TrumpTransition Tues SpainUN pic.twitter.com/snQO94gnrX— Pamela Falk (PamelaFalk) December 8, 2016 The context Syrian government and allied forces have, in the last two weeks, driven rebels from most of their territory in what was once Syria’s most populous city. The rebels have controlled the eastern section since 2012. Up to 275,000 civilians and an estimated 8,000 opposition fighters are thought to be trapped in the siege. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that retaking Aleppo would change the course of the civil war across the country. Así se ve Alepo a vista de dron tras el avance del régimen sirio https://t.co/9N7eb3VPDE pic.twitter.com/NpbZyrptmp— Luis Carballo (@LCEuronews) December 9, 2016 Less

Syrian Army advances in Aleppo

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The Syrian Army and its allies are reportedly advancing in southeastern Aleppo. An opposition spokesman says rebel fighters face the choic...

The Syrian Army and its allies are reportedly advancing in southeastern Aleppo. An opposition spokesman says rebel fighters face the choice of “death or surrender”. Large numbers of civilians are said to be under heavy bombardment. Aleppo’s besieged rebel enclave was pounded by heavy shelling and air raids from midnight on Saturday. A reporter with the Reuters news agency says the explosions were coming at a rate of more than one a minute. Gunfire was also heard. Aleppo rebel zone facing ‘death or surrender’: rebel official https://t.co/wA1yHc18Xc pic.twitter.com/fJRVTLT28p— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 11, 2016 Reported gains A Syrian military source said the army and its allies had captured the al-Asila and Aaajam districts southeast of Aleppo’s ancient citadel. The southern part of the Karam al-Daadaa neighbourhood has also reportedly been taken. The army also seized the al-Maadi district on Sunda morning. Refugees Thousands of refugees are still pouring from the areas of fighting. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 120,000 civilians left the city as the government advance closed in. However, tens of thousands remain. Why is Aleppo important? The fall of the whole city to President Bashar al-Assad would bring him the biggest victory yet after nearly six years of civil war. However, Assad would still be far from restoring government control over the entire country. Aleppo – who is fighting who? Assad’s forces are supported by Russian air power, Iran and Shi’ite militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. Together, they have helped to turn the tide of conflict his way after he seemed to be on the back foot in mid-2015. The mostly-Sunni rebels include groups supported by the US, Turkey and Gulf monarchies. There are also some jihadist factions that receive no assistance from the West. Talks continue Russian and US officials met in Geneva on Sunday for more talks on an elusive deal for civilians and fighters to leave the city. There has reportedly been no word on their progress. Palmyra ISIL fighters staged a surprise assault on Palmyra over the weekend. The UK-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the militants recaptured the ancient city on Sunday after re-entering it on Saturday. What they are saying “The result will certainly be a complete end of the district, in a tragic way,” – a Turkish-based official from the Jabha Shamiya rebel group in Aleppo. “Embrace death for Aleppo!” – graffiti on a wall in the city’s ancient citadel. Less

Aleppo: safe passage plan reportedly tabled in Geneva

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The US and Russia have reportedly tabled a proposal to rebels in Aleppo that would offer safe passage from the city for fighters, their fami...

The US and Russia have reportedly tabled a proposal to rebels in Aleppo that would offer safe passage from the city for fighters, their families and other civilians. Three opposition officials with rebel groups in Aleppo gave the news to reporters in Geneva. Russia and the US have been meeting in the Swiss city to seek a solution to the fighting and the humanitarian crisis it has generated. US-Russia talks in Geneva today https://t.co/xymWNzv308 pic.twitter.com/55qZNMj7Po— Times of lsIamabad (@TimesofIslambad) December 11, 2016 The situation in Aleppo The Russian-backed Syrian military and its allies have captured swathes of rebel-held eastern Aleppo in a ferocious military campaign. Rebel fighters and tens of thousands of civilians have been squeezed into an ever-shrinking enclave in the east of the city. New army gains on Sunday south of Aleppo’s historic citadel appear to bring victory closer for the government forces. Aleppo rebel zone facing ‘death or surrender’: rebel official https://t.co/wA1yHc18Xc pic.twitter.com/fJRVTLT28p— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 11, 2016 What Russia says Russia, however, has denied that any deal has been reached. Diplomats say reports of the proposal do not “necessarily correspond with reality”. Moscow’s RIA news agency has quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying that Russia is working to create the necessary conditions for the safe extraction of people from Aleppo. “The issue of withdrawing militants is the subject of separate agreements. This agreement has not yet been reached, largely because the United States insists on unacceptable terms,” Ryabkov is quoted as saying. He added that the talks in Geneva would continue. What the rebel groups say The groups in Aleppo have yet to respond to the proposal. It promises rebel fighters a “secure” and “honorable” withdrawal from the city, the rebel officials say. What has the UN said? The office of the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, says it has no comment for now on the report. What happens if the proposal is accepted? If the rebels accept the proposal, it would restore Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s full control over rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo. This could be seen as his biggest victory so far in the civil conflict that has shattered his country. Agreement from all sides would end four years of fighting in the city, as well as months of siege and intense bombardment. This has created a humanitarian crisis, particularly in rebel territory in the city that has now shrunk to a small pocket crammed with civilians. The terms of the proposal The Syrian government and its allies would guarantee safe passage for fighters, their family members and other civilians from the city. A draft of the proposal sent to Reuters from two of the rebel officials said the Syrian government and its allies would give a public guarantee that fighters and civilians leaving the city would not be detained or harmed. The safety of civilians who wish to remain in the city would also be guaranteed. The plan would also require fighters from the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham – formerly known as the Nusra Front – to head to the northwestern province of Idlib. However, fighters from other groups would be allowed to go to other destinations, including areas near the Turkish border to the northeast of Aleppo. These are held by groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army. Implementation would be carried out over a 48-hour period. UN oversight will be sought. Fighters will be allowed to take light weapons with them but must leave heavy weapons behind. Rebel groups in the city have previously said they would not leave eastern Aleppo. At the same time, they have been demanding safe passage for civilians who wish to leave for areas to the north of Aleppo near the border with Turkey. Palmyra The ISIL attack on Palmyra is threatening to inflict a serious blow on both Damascus and Moscow. Syrian state radio is reporting the army has evacuated its positions from inside the ancient city and is redeploying them on its fringes. Analysts warn that even if Assad defeats the main rebellion, he may still face years of guerrilla insurgency as he tries to reassert his authority. Syrian army advances in Aleppo but loses Palmyra to Islamic State https://t.co/tOrdoWedb2— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 11, 2016 Less

Aleppo battle ‘reaches its end’ in devastating blow to rebels

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The battle for Aleppo has reached its end, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Monday, marking a devastating bl...

Former ISIL sex slaves receive the Sakharov Prize

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ISIL survivors-turned-activists Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar will receive the 2016 Sakharov Prize in a ceremony in a ceremony in the Eu...

ISIL survivors-turned-activists Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar will receive the 2016 Sakharov Prize in a ceremony in a ceremony in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday. After escaping sexual enslavement by ISIL, the Iraqi Yazidi women became spokespeople for women affected by the terrorist group’s campaign of sexual violence. They have also spoken out in support of the persecuted Yazidi minority. Watch video on #SakharovPrize 2016 winners- #Yazidi survivors of IS brutality & spokespersons for victims of IS’ campaign of sexual violence pic.twitter.com/ZZCPCIbGtP— Europarl UK (@EPinUK) December 12, 2016 Nadia and Lamiya’s story 23-year-old Nadia and 19-year-old Lamiya are from Kocho, a village near Sinjar in Iraq. In August 2014, ISIL militants killed all the males in the village. Young women, including Nadia, Lamiya and their sisters, were abducted and forced into sex slavery. They eventually managed to escape: Nadia in November 2014 and Lamiya in April 2016. Both now live in Germany. They both work to raise awareness of the plight of the Yazidi community in Iraq and of the situation of women caught up in campaigns of sexual violence. The Sakharov Prize The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was set up in 1998. Named after the Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, it is awarded each year by the European Parliament to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. The prize comes with an award of €50,000. Tuesday’s ceremony will be broadcast live on Euronews. From Nelson Mandela to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar. Learn more about all #SakharovPrize laureates → https://t.co/SAlmGc8xAn pic.twitter.com/VwPqympXnj— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) December 12, 2016 What they are saying “I visited more than 20 countries in the Arab world and Europe. I have met a lot of presidents, parliamentarians and other people. What we want from the world is to stop this, to penalise those responsible for our extermination, to punish criminals in front of the International Criminal Court, is to protect minorities, small communities like the Yazidis and the Christians who live in Iraq and Syria,” – Nadia Murad. “I am very happy. It is great moral support for me to receive this prize in the name of those who were kidnapped and defeated by ISIL. Thousands of women have been sexually assaulted and I am one of them. ISIL wanted to get rid the world of Yazidis but whatever happens to any one of us, we will tell the truth,” – Lamiya Aji Bashar. Less

Political analyst Hisham Jaber says victory in Aleppo won’t end the war

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After three weeks of fighting, the Syrian army and allied forces are poised to restore full control over the war-torn city of Aleppo. Alt...

Thousands stream out of Aleppo as rebel deal is struck

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The latest In bitter weather, thousands of people flee the fighting in Aleppo. Behind them, Syrian government forces are advancing on th...

The latest In bitter weather, thousands of people flee the fighting in Aleppo. Behind them, Syrian government forces are advancing on the final pockets of rebel resistance. What Churkin said The Syrian government military offensive in Aleppo is over, according to Russia’s envoy to the UN. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin says an agreement has been struck for rebels to evacuate the north-western city. He insisted civilians would not be harmed, despite western and UN allegations of them being intentionally killed. “Over the last hour, we have received information that the military activities in eastern Aleppo have stopped, it has stopped,” Churkin told a heated UN Security Council meeting, called by France and the UK. “The Syrian government has established control over eastern Aleppo.” Churkin told reporters that Russian military personnel have not seen “any abuses of international humanitarian law.” Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin says reports out of Aleppo of mass slaughter are ‘fake news.” Security Council gridlock in a nutshell.— Nick Bryant (@NickBryantNY) December 13, 2016 What the UN said The UN says it has reports claiming Syrian soldiers, along with allied Iraqi fighters, have summarily shot dead 82 civilians in recaptured districts of Aleppo. Ban Ki-moon on Aleppo: “Immediate task is to do all we can to stop carnage [...] Laws of war & universal human rights must be respected.” pic.twitter.com/KreHR20TId— United Nations (@UN) December 13, 2016 In his briefing to the council, UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon called on the Syrian government, Russia and Iran to urgently allow civilians to escape the city. There was an abundance of early warning given to this council regarding the situation in Aleppo,” Ban said. “We have collectively failed the people of Syria..history will not easily absolve us.” “They have gone from siege to slaughter,” British UN ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the 15-member council. UN Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura told reporters after the meeting that the UN wants its representatives to be allowed to be there when civilians are evacuated from the city and opposition fighters withdraw. De Mistura estimated: 50,000 civilians remain rebel-held areas 1,500 opposition fighters remain 30% of whom are Nusra Front The UN’s human rights office in Geneva says it has reports of abuses, including claims the army and allied Iraqi militias summarily executed at least 82 civilians in captured city districts. What the US said The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said the Syrian government, Russia and Iran would be responsible for atrocities committed in Aleppo. “By rejecting UN/ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) evacuation efforts, you are signalling to those militia who are massacring innocents to keep doing what they are doing,” Power told the meeting in New York. “Aleppo will join the ranks of those events in world history that define modern evil, that stain our conscience decades later – Halabja, Rwanda, Srebrenica and now Aleppo,” she continued. ‘Is there literally nothing that can shame you?’: Samantha Power attacks Russia and Assad over ‘crimes’ in Aleppo https://t.co/FuACpsPabq— Business Insider (@businessinsider) December 13, 2016 A US State Department officials says the ceasefire was reportedly brokered between Russia and Turkey without US involvement. What the Syrian army says The Syrian army has denied carrying out killings or torture among those captured. Thousands flee Aleppo Thousands of people are fleeing the front lines of fighting in Aleppo as the Syrian military advanced on the city’s final pocket of rebel resistance. The rout of rebels from more than half of their ever-shrinking territory in the east of the city sparked a mass exodus of civilians, despite the bitter weather. Trapped Aleppo residents tell world: it’s your last chance to save us, writes Josiensor https://t.co/bDqpSfonyW— The Telegraph (Telegraph) December 13, 2016 What happens now? Turkish and Russian officials will meet on Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire and the opening of a corrider, an unidentified Turkish official has told the Reuters news agency. The background A crackdown on by President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war. ISIL militants have used the chaos to seize territory in Syria and Iraq. Half of Syria’s 22 million people have been uprooted. More than 400,000 have been killed. A surrender or withdrawal of the rebels from Aleppo would deliver Assad his biggest battlefield victory in the nearly six-year conflict. Less

Aleppo: Delay to evacuation prolongs agony for civilians

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Despite the arrival of government buses, the evacuation of war-shattered eastern Aleppo has been delayed. Civilians and opposition fighter...

Despite the arrival of government buses, the evacuation of war-shattered eastern Aleppo has been delayed. Civilians and opposition fighters were due to leave at dawn on Wednesday, under a deal brokered by Turkey and the Syrian regime’s main ally, Russia. A ceasefire agreed under the deal is still holding and it is unclear why the planned evacuation has stalled. People in eastern Aleppo have been packing their bags and burning personal possessions as they prepare to leave, fearing looting by the Syrian army and its Iranian-backed militia allies when they restore control. Collective shelters in #Aleppo are becoming overcrowded. Many people are now exposed to very cold weather & inadequate sanitary conditions. pic.twitter.com/PKkdpNYSdZ— IFRC (@Federation) 13 décembre 2016 #Aleppo: ICRC and SYRedCrescent are on the ground to help those displaced in recent violence, but needs are massive. pic.twitter.com/Rc0f0jd4Lt— IFRC (@Federation) 13 décembre 2016 Officials with Aleppo-based rebel groups accused Shi’ite militias backed by Iran of obstructing the deal. The pro-opposition Orient TV cited its correspondent as saying the plan may be delayed until Thursday. Despite this, almost 6,000 civilians have left rebel-held areas of Aleppo over the past 24 hours and 366 rebels have laid down their arms and moved out over the same period, according to Russia’s defence ministry, as quoted by the Interfax news agency. The UN and others have voiced deep concern at reports of atrocities committed by militias loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. The evacuation was the culmination of two weeks of rapid advances by the Syrian army and its allies that drove insurgents back into an ever-smaller pocket of the city under intense air strikes and artillery fire. The rout of rebels from their shrinking territory in eastern Aleppo ends years of fighting in the city. It has given the Syrian leader his biggest victory yet in a civil war that still continues. with Reuters Less

Syria: Assad speaks on importance of multipolarity between US and Russia

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If the relations between Russia and the United States were to improve “most tension around the world [would] be pacified,” Syrian Presid...

Tomorrow is too late, mayor of east Aleppo calls on the EU to act

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‘More than words are needed to save civilians’, the mayor of east Aleppo said as he arrived in Brussels to address the EU summit. Bri...

‘More than words are needed to save civilians’, the mayor of east Aleppo said as he arrived in Brussels to address the EU summit. Brita Hagi Hasan (president of the East Aleppo local council) wants European countries to send monitors to ensure thousands of residents trying to flee the besieged Syrian city make it out safely. Speaking to reporters outside the Council building, he issued a stark warning saying that 50,000 civilians ‘are about to be victims of a general massacre. “Tomorrow is too late for Aleppo. We need a solution today from the European Union,” he said. Ahead of the summit he met with EU Council President Donald Tusk who invited him to address European leaders. I met with BritaHagihasan to discuss tragedy in Aleppo. Invited him to be heard by #EUCO leaders— Donald Tusk (eucopresident) December 15, 2016 EU leaders were discussing the situation in Syria, though are unlikely to issue new sanctions on Russia over the violence in Aleppo. Arriving at the summit, French President Francois Hollande said he wanted EU leaders to issue a call for a ceasefire to allow the civilians and wounded to be evacuated. Brita Hagi Hasan has been touring European countries in the past months, after leaving eastern Aleppo to go to Turkey in the summer. He has been conducting almost back-to-back interviews in the past few weeks in order to let the international community hear the voices of the ‘women, children who die in eastern Aleppo,’ he told French magazine Telerama. As an elected official in the rebel-held areas of the city, he says he wants to see president Bashar al-Assad gone. In an interview with American radio NPR he said, “this is a criminal, occupying regime, but there are vast zones that have already been liberated. And we will liberate the entire country one day.” In a sign of solidarity with the people of Aleppo, the Grand Place in the Belgian capital will turn off its festive lights between 7pm-7.30pm local time. It follows on from the French capital which turned off the lights on the iconic Eiffel Tour for the people of Aleppo on Wednesday. La Grand-Place de Bruxelles s’éteindra jeudi soir en solidarité avec les victimes d’Alephttps://t.co/JPigTjR1rT pic.twitter.com/UMgiGVLeeW— Le Soir (@lesoir) December 15, 2016 It comes from a citizens’ initiative and was supported by the Brussels council. Less

Syria: Assad celebrates ‘history’ as Aleppo is ‘liberated’

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Until very recently parts of eastern Aleppo had been controlled by rebels – despite the pounding from government forces and their Russian ...

Kerry accuses Assad of ‘‘massacre’‘ in Aleppo

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As the world watches the unfolding evacuation of Aleppo, US Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed moral outrage, accusing President Ba...

Turkey and Russia say they’re pushing for a nationwide ceasefire in Syria

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After six years of civil war, could a nationwide ceasefire now be possible in Syria? Moscow and Ankara are working together to organise a ...

Will the UN send observers to Syria?

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The UN Security Council is to vote on whether to send observers to Aleppo. A resolution that would allow UN officials to monitor evacuatio...

The UN Security Council is to vote on whether to send observers to Aleppo. A resolution that would allow UN officials to monitor evacuations from the besieged parts of the Syrian city is being considered by a meeting in New York on Sunday. “Aleppo is now a synonym for hell.” – Ban Ki-moon #Syria pic.twitter.com/fzRji74UPK— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) December 16, 2016 What is the resolution aimed at? The French-drafted resolution is aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from the besieged parts of the Syrian city. The protection of those who remain will also be ensured. The text was circulated among diplomats and the press on Friday. What the draft text says The draft text also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes.” It asks the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to “redeploy the United Nations humanitarian staff already on the ground to carry out adequate, neutral monitorinng, direct observation and to report on evacuations from besieged parts of Aleppo and protection of civilians inside Aleppo.” The draft resolution also: asks Ban to deploy further staff if needed. “demands that all parties provide the monitors with safe, immediate and unimpeded access”. “demands that all parties allow complete, immediate, unconditional, safe and unhindered access for the United Nations and its implementing partners” through the most direct route through Syria. asks the UN secretary general to report back to the council on implementation of the resolution within five days of adoption. #France pushes UN Security Council action on #Aleppo https://t.co/m83EUYHBzU #Syria pic.twitter.com/KwsSVtf2bp— Middle East Monitor (MiddleEastMnt) December 18, 2016 How will Russia vote? It is not clear. Before the draft was circulated to the council on Friday, the Russian UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said: “If it is a sensible initiative and we see it on paper, why not entertain this initiative?” Russia is an ally of Damascus that has provided military backing to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops. It has vetoed six Security Council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011. China has joined Moscow in vetoing five. UN Security Council meeting on #Syria: France calls on Russia not to veto ‘humanitarian’ resolution https://t.co/EMJXdDMXVS pic.twitter.com/1cmsZdtubu— euronews (@euronews) December 16, 2016 Why is there a delay in the evacuation of Aleppo? A plan for the evacuation of rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo ground collapsed on Friday. Pro-government forces were demanding that people also be moved out of two Shi’ite villages besieged by insurgents. Many residents remain trapped in the east of the city in freezing temperatures. A crackdown by Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war. Half of Syria’s 22 million inhabitants have been uprooted. It is estimated more than 400,000 have been killed. Red Cross says hopes to resume Aleppo evacuation on Sunday https://t.co/YAma8hcKi0 pic.twitter.com/p0BxpzXClW— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 18, 2016 “We cannot abandon these people.” Thousands trapped in east #Aleppo wait for evacuation. Our call to all parties: https://t.co/Dh9FSkUlaB pic.twitter.com/wSOku8LtG8— ICRC Syria (@ICRC_sy) December 17, 2016 Less

Evacuation buses burned out near Aleppo

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Several buses en route to evacuate sick and injured people from two besieged Syrian villages in Idlib province have been attacked and burned...

Russia circulates its own UN resolution on Aleppo – diplomats

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Diplomats in New York say Russia is circulating its own UN resolution on the Aleppo crisis. It comes after a day of intense diplomatic act...

Diplomats in New York say Russia is circulating its own UN resolution on the Aleppo crisis. It comes after a day of intense diplomatic activity at the organisation’s headquarters in New York. #BREAKING Russia circulates its own UN resolution on Aleppo crisis: diplomats— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 18, 2016 Watch meeting and media stakeouts live here: https://t.co/WhwXXmCYWf https://t.co/iaKnAHtyQA— United Nations (@UN) December 18, 2016 Earlier, UN Security Council veto power Russia said it could not allow a French-drafted resolution on Aleppo to be adopted. The initial draft document was aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from besieged parts of the Syrian city and the protection of civilians who remain. “We cannot support it,” Russia’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters in New York, “we cannot allow it to pass because it is a disaster.” “But there could be another thing which could be adopted today by the Security Council which would accomplish the same goals,” Churkin added without elaborating. Russia is an ally of Damascus that has provided military backing to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops. It has vetoed six Security Council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011. China has joined Moscow in vetoing five. UN Security Council meeting The UN Security Council has met to vote on whether to send observers to Aleppo. A resolution that would allow UN officials to monitor evacuations from the besieged parts of the Syrian city is being considered by a meeting in New York on Sunday. “Aleppo is now a synonym for hell.” – Ban Ki-moon #Syria pic.twitter.com/fzRji74UPK— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) December 16, 2016 What is the resolution aimed at? The French-drafted resolution is aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from the besieged parts of Aleppo. The protection of those who remain will also be ensured. The text was circulated among diplomats and the press on Friday. What the draft text says The draft text also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes.” It asks the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to “redeploy the United Nations humanitarian staff already on the ground to carry out adequate, neutral monitorinng, direct observation and to report on evacuations from besieged parts of Aleppo and protection of civilians inside Aleppo.” The draft resolution also: asks Ban to deploy further staff if needed. “demands that all parties provide the monitors with safe, immediate and unimpeded access”. “demands that all parties allow complete, immediate, unconditional, safe and unhindered access for the United Nations and its implementing partners” through the most direct route through Syria. asks the UN secretary general to report back to the council on implementation of the resolution within five days of adoption. #France pushes UN Security Council action on #Aleppo https://t.co/m83EUYHBzU #Syria pic.twitter.com/KwsSVtf2bp— Middle East Monitor (MiddleEastMnt) December 18, 2016 Why is there a delay in the evacuation of Aleppo? A plan for the evacuation of rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo ground collapsed on Friday. Pro-government forces were demanding that people also be moved out of two Shi’ite villages besieged by insurgents. Many residents remain trapped in the east of the city in freezing temperatures. A crackdown by Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war. Half of Syria’s 22 million inhabitants have been uprooted. It is estimated more than 400,000 have been killed. Red Cross says hopes to resume Aleppo evacuation on Sunday https://t.co/YAma8hcKi0 pic.twitter.com/p0BxpzXClW— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 18, 2016 “We cannot abandon these people.” Thousands trapped in east #Aleppo wait for evacuation. Our call to all parties: https://t.co/Dh9FSkUlaB pic.twitter.com/wSOku8LtG8— ICRC Syria (@ICRC_sy) December 17, 2016 Less

Dr. Al Jaafari : we found reasons behind Aleppo hysteria. Amb. releases names of NATO officers captured in East Aleppo to UN

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Speech by Dr Al Jaafari exposing presence of NATO officers and special services in East Aleppo. Amb. Bashar Jaafari says the whole purpose o...

Syrian army urges rebels to speed up Aleppo evacuation

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The Syrian army has called for the evacuation of the last rebel enclave of Aleppo to be accelerated, broadcasting messages warning that it�...

The Syrian army has called for the evacuation of the last rebel enclave of Aleppo to be accelerated, broadcasting messages warning that it’s ready to enter the area. The United Nations says Damascus has authorised it to send an additional 20 staff to the city to monitor the departure of thousands of people. Many who have left have been transferred towards Turkey. A new tent camp is likely to be set up to house them along the border – although the most vulnerable including women and children will be allowed to enter the country. A slow process Estimates vary as to how many people have been moved out of Aleppo, and how many remain. The Turkish government which helped broker the ceasefire says over 37,000 have been brought out since Thursday. The Red Cross puts the figure lower, at only 25,000. Russia has said the evacuation process will be complete in two days. But a rebel official in Turkey told Reuters that even after thousands had left on Monday, only about half of the civilians who wanted to leave had done so. Conditions are described as grim, with evacuees enduring long waits in freezing weather for buses out of the city. Some babies reportedly died during the process. Blocking aid & evacuation of freezing #Aleppo civilians just cost 4 babies their life https://t.co/QwAE4YINtU HRW https://t.co/i6iGrADwiE pic.twitter.com/VUx3YWknX0— Gerry Simpson (GerrySimpsonHRW) December 20, 2016 Meanwhile as part of the exchange deal, more buses have been leaving the Shi’ite Muslim villages of Foua and Kefraya for government lines, according to Syrian military media. The villagers have been taken to a shelter at Jibrin near Aleppo, where they have been met by Syrian government officials and UNICEF – who gave them food and medical aid. Homes destroyed Residents of the southeastern district of Marjeh have been gravitating back to their homes and businesses, or what is left of them. The area has taken by government forces from rebels earlier this month. Images filmed following Syrian government guidelines showed almost entirely-destroyed streets full of rubble. Syrian flags have been hoisted in places. “It’s been five years since I left the area, since the terrorist groups entered and they displaced us, and now I have come back to my shop to start fixing it up. They damaged our shops, they damaged our homes, they damaged everything,” said Fadel Rajab, one of the residents and a government supporter. “God willing, and with the efforts of the shabab and the Syrian Arab army, and the leadership of President Doctor Bashar Hafez Assad, we will rebuild this country,” he added. Rebels withdrew from the area after it came under heavy bombardment from pro-government forces. Residents have been able to return but a lack of basic services such as water and electricity – not to mention buildings – means living there for now is impossible. Less

Russia, Iran and Turkey push for Syria peace plan without US or UN

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Russia, Iran and Turkey have said they are ready to help broker a peace deal for Syria. After talks in Moscow, the three countries’ fore...

Russia, Iran and Turkey have said they are ready to help broker a peace deal for Syria. After talks in Moscow, the three countries’ foreign ministers expressed confidence they could revive the stalled peace process. They also plan to try to expand a ceasefire. The United States was notably absent from the meeting. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “Iran, Russian and Turkey express their readiness to act in favour and become guarantors of the agreement that is being prepared and negotiated at the moment by the Syrian government and opposition. The three call on all the other countries that have influence on the situation on the ground to do the same.” His Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif added: “We need to find a political solution, which supports the principles of respect of the territory’s sovereignty and of Syria’s national unity. So we have to accept the reality, which is that the only solution to ending the war is a political solution.” Turkish complications Ankara’s position is complicated as it supports some insurgents trying to bring down Syria’s President Bashir al Assad. The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu’s position is that all sides should cease fire but the talks cannot involve what he called terrorist groups like Islamic State and the former Al Qaeda group Fatah al-Sham. He also spoke of Lebanon’s Hezbollah which backs the Assad government, implying Damascus should use its influence. Russia’s Sergey Lavrov pointed out that some groups operating in Syria “were invited by the government of Bashar al Assad”. Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran “respects” Turkey’s stance, but he added that “other countries don’t accept” it. The next step is a new series of Syrian peace negotiations without the involvement of the United States or the United Nations to be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, a close Russian ally. “Dead end” Lavrov informed US Secretary of State John Kerry in a telephone call about the results of talks in Moscow, the Russian foreign ministry said. The Russian foreign ministry also said in its statement that UN-brokered negotiations in Geneva on the Syrian crisis had hit a dead end due to ultimatums from the Syrian opposition in exile. The US said that it was not worried about being left out of the discussion. A State Department spokesman said it welcomed any solutions that “lead to a reduction in bloodshed… whether or not we’re at the table”. The move underlines the growing strength of Moscow’s links with Tehran and Ankara and reflects President Vladimir Putin’s desire to cement his country’s growing influence in the Middle East and more widely. It also shows how fed up Russia is with what it sees as long and pointless talks with the Obama administration over Syria. Foreign Minister Lavrov last week dismissed those talks as “fruitless sitting around”. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who held parallel talks with his Iranian and Turkish opposite numbers, said afterwards: “All previous attempts by the United States and its partners to agree on coordinated actions were doomed to failure. None of them wielded real influence over the situation on the ground.” Less

UN sends in more observers of “complicated” Aleppo evacuation

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The evacuation of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo could be completed within two days according to Turkey which helped media...

The evacuation of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo could be completed within two days according to Turkey which helped mediate the exodus. But with yet another interruption reported that could be unrealistic. The operation is being further complicated by unreliable figures of who has left and who is still in the city. Numbers Estimates of those who have been evacuated range from 37,000 according to Turkish officials, to only 25,000 (Red Cross figures.) A rebel official said even after vast numbers left Aleppo on Monday, only about half of the civilians who wanted to leave had done so. The UN which says more than 40,000 civilians and 10,000 rebels are still in the city, is to send 20 more staff to monitor the evacuation. The move was authorised by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “We have had for several days already a monitoring mechanism. We have had people at the Ramussa crossing as you know, who’ve been able to observe what went on, and we do believe that this presence provide protection,” UN Humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke explained. Ordered to leave The Syrian army has reportedly called on the last remaining rebels to leave eastern districts of Aleppo. Soldiers broadcast messages by loudspeaker on Tuesday (Dec 20), warning that they would soon enter the areas. But insurgent fighters have said they will only leave once all the civilians who wanted to go had departed. Diplomacy Turkey is also attending three-way talks in Russia with Iran. Their respective foreign and defence ministers have adopted a document called the “Moscow Declaration” setting out principles that any peace agreement should follow. They also backed an expanded ceasefire in Syria. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has also said he wants to reconvene peace talks in Geneva in February. The last round of UN-backed exploratory talks in Geneva, in March 2016, collapsed amid an intensification in fighting. Last remaining rebels and civilians await Aleppo evacuation. https://t.co/0JiDVFKiA4— The Associated Press (@AP) December 20, 2016 Less

With Aleppo battle won, Syria and Russia look to ‘next stage’

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The rubble of war is being cleared from the streets of eastern Aleppo, after the last groups of rebels were removed from the city this week....

Assad makes Christmas visit to orphaned children

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma visited orphaned children at the Saidnaya monastery on Sunday. At the monastery, Assad w...

Clashes continue but Syrian ceasefire appears to hold in civilian areas

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The fighting may be over in Aleppo and the Russian and Turkish architects of the Syrian ceasefire may be contemplating an end to the country...

Syria’s Assad ‘ready to negotiate everything’, if conditions are met

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the government is ready to negotiate on everything, including his position as president. Howeve...

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the government is ready to negotiate on everything, including his position as president. However, he insisted this would have to be decided by all Syrians, by way of a referendum on the constitution. “Yeah, but my position is related to the constitution,” he said in an interview with various French media. “And the constitution is very clear about the mechanism in which you can bring a president or get rid of a president. So if they want to discuss this point, they have to discuss the constitution, and the constitution is not owned by the government or the president or by the opposition; it should be owned by the Syrian people, so you need a referendum for every constitution.” “The Syrian people should bring a president, not part of the Syrian people.” Assad’s allies, Russia and Iran, and Turkey, which has been supporting some opposition rebel groups in the devastating civil war, are sponsoring peace talks on Syria expected to be held in the Kazakh capital Astana later in January. Previous peace discussions have come to a halt over the question of Assad’s future. Opposition groups have consistently insisted he must leave before any reforms can be agreed upon. The US has not been invited to participate in the Astana talks and the president has dismissed rebel groups backed by the likes of Saudi Arabia, France and the UK. “Who’s going to be there from the other side? We don’t know, yet. Is it going to be real Syrian opposition – and when I say “real” it means has grassroots in Syria, not Saudi one or French one or British one – it should be Syrian opposition to discuss the Syrian issues. So, the viability or, let’s say, the success of that conference will depend on that point.” Eastern Aleppo Assad also said the bombing of eastern Aleppo, which the UN says could have amounted to a war crime, was justified. Tens of thousands of civilians were displaced in an uncompromising military campaign by government troops. Assad’s forces retook the area in December, 2016, after more than four years under rebel control. He said they were forced to “liberate” the city. “I have not heard in the history of a good war, every war is bad. But the question is how can you liberate the civilians in those areas from the terrorists? Is it better to leave them under their supervision, under their oppression under their fate defined by those terrorists by beheading, by killing by everything, but not having a state?” Less

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