Russian leaders say failure of truce would be US responsibility, while rebels warn agreement ‘will not hold out’ due to persistent fighting and absent aid
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/17/us-backed-syrian-rebels-accused-of-violating-ceasefire
The ceasefire established in Syria has been violated 199 times since it came into force five days ago, a Russian defence ministry official was quoted as saying on Saturday.
“The United States and so-called moderate [rebel] groups under their control did not implement any of the obligations taken under the Geneva agreements,” Russian news agencies quoted Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir as saying.
Similar accusations were made on Thursday, when the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement: “Only the Syrian army has been observing the ceasefire regime, while the US-led ‘moderate opposition’ has been increasing the number of shellings of residential quarters.
“Moreover, it appears that the ‘verbal curtain’ of Washington is aimed at hiding the non-fulfilment of the US obligations.”
Moscow subsequently said the Assad regime had been told to allow United Nations aid through to Aleppo. On Saturday the convoy remained at the Turkish border, awaiting permission to travel.
On Saturday, Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir added: “If the United States does not take steps needed to fulfil its obligations under the 9 September agreement, then all the responsibility for any collapse of the ceasefire in Syria would lie with the United States.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he remained “more positive than negative” over the ceasefire, although in comments delivered in Kyrgyzstan he cast doubt on Washington’s commitment to the deal, saying it was “deviating” from its own call for openness and had been unable to split moderate from “semi-criminal” rebels.
There was no immediate comment from the state department or the White House.
A senior rebel in Aleppo warned the truce “will not hold out” as some fighting persisted and aid failed to come through.
The ceasefire is the result of an agreement between Russia, which backs Syrian president Bashar al-Assad with air power, and the US, which supports some rebel groups. The deal has cooled fighting since it came into effect last Monday.
The two nations agreed on Friday to extend the ceasefire and Putin said Russia would abide by its own commitments and still believed that securing a Syrian ceasefire was a common goal for Washington and Moscow.
Insurgents said they only reluctantly accepted the initial deal, which they believe is skewed against them, because it could relieve the dire humanitarian situation in besieged areas they control, and blamed Russia for undermining the truce.
The truce, as we have warned, and we told the [US] state department will not hold out,” the rebel official said, pointing to the continued presence of the UN aid convoy at the Turkish border.
“It is not possible for the party [Russia] that wages war against a people to strive to achieve a truce, as it is also not possible for it to be a sponsor of this agreement while it bombs night and day, while on the other side, the other party – America – has the role of spectator.”
Moscow has itself accused rebels of breaking the truce and said Washington needs to do more to make them abide by its terms, including separating from the jihadist Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which only broke formal allegiance to al-Qaida in July.
The five-year Syrian civil war has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the country’s population, drawing in global and regional powers, causing an international refugee crisis and inspiring jihadist attacks around the world.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/17/us-backed-syrian-rebels-accused-of-violating-ceasefire
The ceasefire established in Syria has been violated 199 times since it came into force five days ago, a Russian defence ministry official was quoted as saying on Saturday.
“The United States and so-called moderate [rebel] groups under their control did not implement any of the obligations taken under the Geneva agreements,” Russian news agencies quoted Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir as saying.
Similar accusations were made on Thursday, when the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement: “Only the Syrian army has been observing the ceasefire regime, while the US-led ‘moderate opposition’ has been increasing the number of shellings of residential quarters.
“Moreover, it appears that the ‘verbal curtain’ of Washington is aimed at hiding the non-fulfilment of the US obligations.”
Moscow subsequently said the Assad regime had been told to allow United Nations aid through to Aleppo. On Saturday the convoy remained at the Turkish border, awaiting permission to travel.
On Saturday, Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir added: “If the United States does not take steps needed to fulfil its obligations under the 9 September agreement, then all the responsibility for any collapse of the ceasefire in Syria would lie with the United States.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he remained “more positive than negative” over the ceasefire, although in comments delivered in Kyrgyzstan he cast doubt on Washington’s commitment to the deal, saying it was “deviating” from its own call for openness and had been unable to split moderate from “semi-criminal” rebels.
There was no immediate comment from the state department or the White House.
A senior rebel in Aleppo warned the truce “will not hold out” as some fighting persisted and aid failed to come through.
The ceasefire is the result of an agreement between Russia, which backs Syrian president Bashar al-Assad with air power, and the US, which supports some rebel groups. The deal has cooled fighting since it came into effect last Monday.
The two nations agreed on Friday to extend the ceasefire and Putin said Russia would abide by its own commitments and still believed that securing a Syrian ceasefire was a common goal for Washington and Moscow.
Insurgents said they only reluctantly accepted the initial deal, which they believe is skewed against them, because it could relieve the dire humanitarian situation in besieged areas they control, and blamed Russia for undermining the truce.
The truce, as we have warned, and we told the [US] state department will not hold out,” the rebel official said, pointing to the continued presence of the UN aid convoy at the Turkish border.
“It is not possible for the party [Russia] that wages war against a people to strive to achieve a truce, as it is also not possible for it to be a sponsor of this agreement while it bombs night and day, while on the other side, the other party – America – has the role of spectator.”
Moscow has itself accused rebels of breaking the truce and said Washington needs to do more to make them abide by its terms, including separating from the jihadist Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which only broke formal allegiance to al-Qaida in July.
The five-year Syrian civil war has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the country’s population, drawing in global and regional powers, causing an international refugee crisis and inspiring jihadist attacks around the world.
