Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Moscow Rules Out a New Truce in Aleppo | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Opposition factions have completed preparations for the launch of the battle to lift the siege on Aleppo according to the legal adviser for the Free Syrian Army (FSA) Osama Abu Zeid. He told Asharq Al-Awsat “Aleppo will be the battle of the revolution” and that “We only have a military solution in front of us after all other solutions have failed”. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights predicted that the major battle will begin within hours or days. This comes at a time when the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov ruled out the announcement of a new “humanitarian” ceasefire and said that this option is not relevant now.

Fighting in Aleppo continued yesterday after bombing on the city resumed two days after the end of a three day humanitarian truce declared by Russia. The ceasefire did not result in the evacuation of the wounded from besieged neighbourhoods, and Abu Zeid told Asharq Al-Awsat that “We cannot accept a partial initiative that narrows down the humanitarian issue in the city to the evacuation of the wounded and that tries to pressurise in order to repeat the scenario of forced displacement from the city”. He also denied the truth of information that stated that the opposition prevented civilians from exiting.

He added “How can a group involved in the battle determine the humanitarian passageways and how can civilians leave without any guarantees that they will not be targeted?” He continued by saying that “the solution in Aleppo should be a comprehensive agreement to stop the bombing and that ensures the safety of civilians and the delivery of aid, as opposed to making families leave their homes”.