At least nine civilians, including two children, were killed Saturday in air strikes by Syria's government and its ally Russia in the northwest of the country, a war monitor said.

Syria's military and Russia carried out more than 100 air raids in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement.

The Observatory said dozens of barrel bombs were dropped by Syrian military helicopters.&nbsp;

Three women and one member of the White Helmets -- a team of first responders working in some rebel-held areas -- were also among the nine dead, the war monitor said.

All nine civilians were killed in Idlib and Hama, it said.

The first responder was killed after arriving at the site of raids to treat people wounded in southern Idlib, the head of the White Helmets Raed Saleh said on Twitter.

An AFP photographer saw clouds of black smoke above two villages in southern Idlib after the air raids.

Syrian state news agency SANA said the country's military had opened fire on "terrorist groups".

Much of Idlib and parts of Aleppo and Hama are controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch.

The regime has intensified air strikes against these areas in recent months, despite a September deal between governmentally Russia and rebel backer Turkey that is meant to protect Idlib from a massive regime offensive.

Syria's multi-fronted civil war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began in 2011 with anti-regime protests that sparked a devastating crackdown.

At least nine civilians, including two children, were killed Saturday in air strikes by Syria's government and its ally Russia in the northwest of the country, a war monitor said.

At least nine civilians, including two children, were killed Saturday in air strikes by Syria's government and its ally Russia in the northwest of the country, a war monitor said. Syria's military and Russia carried out more than 100 air raids in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement. The Observatory said dozens of barrel bombs were dropped by Syrian military helicopters. Three women and one member of the White Helmets -- a team of first responders working in some rebel-held areas -- were also among the nine dead, the war monitor said. All nine civilians were killed in Idlib and Hama, it said. The first responder was killed after arriving at the site of raids to treat people wounded in southern Idlib, the head of the White Helmets Raed Saleh said on Twitter. An AFP photographer saw clouds of black smoke above two villages in southern Idlib after the air raids. Syrian state news agency SANA said the country's military had opened fire on "terrorist groups". Much of Idlib and parts of Aleppo and Hama are controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch. The regime has intensified air strikes against these areas in recent months, despite a September deal between governmentally Russia and rebel backer Turkey that is meant to protect Idlib from a massive regime offensive. Syria's multi-fronted civil war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began in 2011 with anti-regime protests that sparked a devastating crackdown.

Nine killed by regime, Russian strikes in Syria's Idlib: War monitor

At least six civilians were killed on Sunday when the rockets were fired by jihadists in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the state news agency reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor said 20 rockets were fired into neighbourhoods of Aleppo.

The state media reported that seven people were also wounded in the rocket fire.

Aleppo is located in the north of the country next to Idlib, a province dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

At least six civilians were killed on Sunday when the rockets were fired by jihadists in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the state news agency reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor said 20 rockets were fired into neighbourhoods of Aleppo.

At least six civilians were killed on Sunday when the rockets were fired by jihadists in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the state news agency reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor said 20 rockets were fired into neighbourhoods of Aleppo. The state media reported that seven people were also wounded in the rocket fire. Aleppo is located in the north of the country next to Idlib, a province dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Syria: At least six killed, seven wounded in rocket fire launched by jihadists

By Harout Akdedian

The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over. What then does this loss of territorial control actually mean for IS?

At its height, the self-proclaimed “caliphate” controlled an estimated 34,000 square miles across Syria and Iraq, so its defeat on the ground is clearly a severe blow for it. Nevertheless, IS is now expected to evolve. Its networks will disperse into virtual, online spaces and become largely invisible. It will focus on insurgency tactics and terror attacks with a wider reach.

In the face of this evolution, it may seem like maintaining IS in a contained geographic pocket would have been better than eradicating its primary territorial base altogether.

With its defeat on the ground in Syria and Iraq, however, IS and its offshoots will have a more limited capacity for recruitment, indoctrination and growth.

The importance of territory

The success of rebel groups to survive protracted armed conflicts is dependent on their ability to maintain territorial control. They require it to extract resources and enlist local recruits.

Territorial control allows armed groups to force local populations into compliance and conformity with their ideological outlook. Since its inception, IS understood that its radical “Islamic” community does not locally exist. Instead, the organisation set about creating it, reshaping communities under its control in its own image.

Comparative evidence from civil wars around the world demonstrates how territorial control does not depend on a local population’s ideological agreement with the forces in place. Instead, in his book The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Stathis Kalyvas argues that a combination of coercive measures and local administrative bodies allows a force to maintain order, stability and compliance.

For example, during the Liberian civil war in the early 1990s, NPFL (The National Patriotic Front of Liberia) rebels, led by Charles Taylor, used administrative bodies and courts in the territory they controlled to create an alternative order backed up by displays of brutality and violence. This led to an intricate system of patronage and loyalty that created new dependencies between local communities and the new regime.

These Taylor-era Liberian courts are comparable to IS’s religious courts which controlled the issuing of permits for cross border activities, defined the educational content of local schools, distributed social services – and carried out extreme public punishments.

In enduring armed conflict, these administrative bodies, social services and displays of order encourage the cooperation of the local population. In other words, territorial control allows the occupier to manage the behaviour and, potentially, the ideology of the people under its control.

Instruments of control

Under IS, spectacles of brutality and violence were a key part of this. Public executions involved people being incinerated, stoned, decapitated and thrown off towers. Staged in front of local people, these executions were carefully choreographed and meticulously documented and disseminated – both locally and internationally.

IS explicitly claimed that these acts of brutality were intended to create a vacuum by disrupting local societal structures that could then be “filled” and “managed” by them. Essentially, displays of violence were used as an instrument of social organisation.

Data personally collected between 2012 and 2014 shows that many living under the rule of radicalised groups such as IS judge these groups based on their own immediate day-to-day conditions rather than the organisation’s overall performance or outlook.

If administrative structures function and people have access to food and basic services, for example, local populations may overlook – or even adhere to – the occupying force’s ideology (albeit under duress). And those that don’t are severely and publicly punished as an “example” to others.

The 2014 executions of members of the Sunni Arab al-Sheitaat tribe, in Deir el-Zor, Syria, are a case in point. IS took the lives of more than 700 of its members for revoking a pledge of allegiance. In addition, IS incessantly targeted other Jihadi or predominantly Sunni rebel formations. Indeed, the tally of those killed continues to increase as more mass graves are discovered.

Violent consolidation 
 
Such atrocities were examples of IS consolidating its power through the elimination of rivals and the suppression of potential or real dissent within its area of control. Faced with this, local populations had no choice but to imitate expressions of religiosity as defined by IS and to demonstrate compliance. For local people, this was a method of adaptation and survival – but IS’s loss of territorial control now greatly reduces its capacity to control and indoctrinate local residents in this way.

The question of how IS’s methods impacted local populations, in the long run, is yet to be answered. A lot will depend on what happens next in its former territory and to those living there now.

Either way, while IS is badly incapacitated, it certainly is not finished. It will most likely splinter into new organisations which might try to establish territorial control elsewhere. Parts of North Africa and the Maghreb are particularly susceptible, where control over vast swathes of land remain contested. In the meantime, IS will continue to try to nurture its virtual communities and seek new audiences online.

(Harout Akdedian is Carnegie SFM Postdoctoral fellow, Central European University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/islamic-state-the-caliphate-is-off-the-map-for-now-but-will-evolve-in-dangerous-ways-114831">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Harout Akdedian The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over.

By Harout Akdedian The so-called Islamic State (IS) recently lost its last remnant of territory in Syria, but observers were quick to remind the world that the war against the organisation is far from over. What then does this loss of territorial control actually mean for IS? At its height, the self-proclaimed “caliphate” controlled an estimated 34,000 square miles across Syria and Iraq, so its defeat on the ground is clearly a severe blow for it. Nevertheless, IS is now expected to evolve. Its networks will disperse into virtual, online spaces and become largely invisible. It will focus on insurgency tactics and terror attacks with a wider reach. In the face of this evolution, it may seem like maintaining IS in a contained geographic pocket would have been better than eradicating its primary territorial base altogether. With its defeat on the ground in Syria and Iraq, however, IS and its offshoots will have a more limited capacity for recruitment, indoctrination and growth. The importance of territory The success of rebel groups to survive protracted armed conflicts is dependent on their ability to maintain territorial control. They require it to extract resources and enlist local recruits. Territorial control allows armed groups to force local populations into compliance and conformity with their ideological outlook. Since its inception, IS understood that its radical “Islamic” community does not locally exist. Instead, the organisation set about creating it, reshaping communities under its control in its own image. Comparative evidence from civil wars around the world demonstrates how territorial control does not depend on a local population’s ideological agreement with the forces in place. Instead, in his book The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Stathis Kalyvas argues that a combination of coercive measures and local administrative bodies allows a force to maintain order, stability and compliance. For example, during the Liberian civil war in the early 1990s, NPFL (The National Patriotic Front of Liberia) rebels, led by Charles Taylor, used administrative bodies and courts in the territory they controlled to create an alternative order backed up by displays of brutality and violence. This led to an intricate system of patronage and loyalty that created new dependencies between local communities and the new regime. These Taylor-era Liberian courts are comparable to IS’s religious courts which controlled the issuing of permits for cross border activities, defined the educational content of local schools, distributed social services – and carried out extreme public punishments. In enduring armed conflict, these administrative bodies, social services and displays of order encourage the cooperation of the local population. In other words, territorial control allows the occupier to manage the behaviour and, potentially, the ideology of the people under its control. Instruments of control Under IS, spectacles of brutality and violence were a key part of this. Public executions involved people being incinerated, stoned, decapitated and thrown off towers. Staged in front of local people, these executions were carefully choreographed and meticulously documented and disseminated – both locally and internationally. IS explicitly claimed that these acts of brutality were intended to create a vacuum by disrupting local societal structures that could then be “filled” and “managed” by them. Essentially, displays of violence were used as an instrument of social organisation. Data personally collected between 2012 and 2014 shows that many living under the rule of radicalised groups such as IS judge these groups based on their own immediate day-to-day conditions rather than the organisation’s overall performance or outlook. If administrative structures function and people have access to food and basic services, for example, local populations may overlook – or even adhere to – the occupying force’s ideology (albeit under duress). And those that don’t are severely and publicly punished as an “example” to others. The 2014 executions of members of the Sunni Arab al-Sheitaat tribe, in Deir el-Zor, Syria, are a case in point. IS took the lives of more than 700 of its members for revoking a pledge of allegiance. In addition, IS incessantly targeted other Jihadi or predominantly Sunni rebel formations. Indeed, the tally of those killed continues to increase as more mass graves are discovered. Violent consolidation Such atrocities were examples of IS consolidating its power through the elimination of rivals and the suppression of potential or real dissent within its area of control. Faced with this, local populations had no choice but to imitate expressions of religiosity as defined by IS and to demonstrate compliance. For local people, this was a method of adaptation and survival – but IS’s loss of territorial control now greatly reduces its capacity to control and indoctrinate local residents in this way. The question of how IS’s methods impacted local populations, in the long run, is yet to be answered. A lot will depend on what happens next in its former territory and to those living there now. Either way, while IS is badly incapacitated, it certainly is not finished. It will most likely splinter into new organisations which might try to establish territorial control elsewhere. Parts of North Africa and the Maghreb are particularly susceptible, where control over vast swathes of land remain contested. In the meantime, IS will continue to try to nurture its virtual communities and seek new audiences online. (Harout Akdedian is Carnegie SFM Postdoctoral fellow, Central European University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Islamic State is off the map for now, but war against the organisation is far from over

The Syrian military said Israel on Wednesday launched raids on an industrial zone in the northern city of Aleppo, causing damage only to materials, while opposition sources said the strikes hit Iranian ammunitions stores and a military airport used by Tehran's forces.

"The Israeli aggression targeted some positions in Sheikh Najjar industrial zone and a number of enemy missiles were brought down," an army statement said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-requests-un-security-council-meeting-on-golan-205899">Also read:&nbsp;Syria requests UN Security Council meeting on Golan Heights</a>

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

The blasts caused an electrical blackout in Aleppo, the country's second largest city and a major industrial hub that bore the brunt of years of fighting and heavy Russian and Syrian aerial bombardment on its former rebel-held areas.

Military experts say Aleppo is one of the main areas where Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have a strong military presence supporting local militias that have for years been fighting alongside the Syrian army to defeat insurgents.

Two opposition sources familiar with Tehran's military presence in the area said large ammunition depot and a logistics hub that belonged to Iranian-backed militias inside the industrial zone received direct hits.

Other strikes hit the vicinity of Nairab military airport on the outskirts of Aleppo in the second such strike on the installation used by Iranian troops in less than a year, they added.

Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias have expanded their control over mainly Sunni areas around Damascus, southern and eastern Syria that bore the brunt of the heaviest bombardment and led to mass displacement or emigration to neighbouring countries.

Iran’s growing influence in Syria, where it has struck economic and trade deals, has raised the prospect of a military confrontation with its arch-enemy Israel

Israel, which considers Iran its biggest threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets in Syria and those of allied militia, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Earlier this year Israeli military said they had attacked Iranian targets that included munitions stores in Damascus International Airport.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel had carried out "hundreds" of attacks over the past few years of Syria’s war to curtail Iran and its ally Hezbollah.

Israel has said it was crucial to block growing Iranian military influence in Syria and has vowed it would push its troops out of the country.

With an election approaching, Israel’s government has increased its attacks in Syria and has taken a tougher stance towards Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon.

Iran has warned Israel it would respond if it continued attacking targets in Syria and repeatedly said its military presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Assad government and it has no immediate plans to withdraw.

The strike coincided with an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council that was held at Syria's request over US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

The Syrian military said Israel on Wednesday launched raids on an industrial zone in the northern city of Aleppo, causing damage only to materials, while opposition sources said the strikes hit Iranian ammunitions stores and a military airport used by Tehran's forces.

The Syrian military said Israel on Wednesday launched raids on an industrial zone in the northern city of Aleppo, causing damage only to materials, while opposition sources said the strikes hit Iranian ammunitions stores and a military airport used by Tehran's forces. "The Israeli aggression targeted some positions in Sheikh Najjar industrial zone and a number of enemy missiles were brought down," an army statement said. Also read: Syria requests UN Security Council meeting on Golan Heights There was no immediate comment from Israel. The blasts caused an electrical blackout in Aleppo, the country's second largest city and a major industrial hub that bore the brunt of years of fighting and heavy Russian and Syrian aerial bombardment on its former rebel-held areas. Military experts say Aleppo is one of the main areas where Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have a strong military presence supporting local militias that have for years been fighting alongside the Syrian army to defeat insurgents. Two opposition sources familiar with Tehran's military presence in the area said large ammunition depot and a logistics hub that belonged to Iranian-backed militias inside the industrial zone received direct hits. Other strikes hit the vicinity of Nairab military airport on the outskirts of Aleppo in the second such strike on the installation used by Iranian troops in less than a year, they added. Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias have expanded their control over mainly Sunni areas around Damascus, southern and eastern Syria that bore the brunt of the heaviest bombardment and led to mass displacement or emigration to neighbouring countries. Iran’s growing influence in Syria, where it has struck economic and trade deals, has raised the prospect of a military confrontation with its arch-enemy Israel Israel, which considers Iran its biggest threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets in Syria and those of allied militia, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Earlier this year Israeli military said they had attacked Iranian targets that included munitions stores in Damascus International Airport. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel had carried out "hundreds" of attacks over the past few years of Syria’s war to curtail Iran and its ally Hezbollah. Israel has said it was crucial to block growing Iranian military influence in Syria and has vowed it would push its troops out of the country. With an election approaching, Israel’s government has increased its attacks in Syria and has taken a tougher stance towards Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon. Iran has warned Israel it would respond if it continued attacking targets in Syria and repeatedly said its military presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Assad government and it has no immediate plans to withdraw. The strike coincided with an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council that was held at Syria's request over US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Syrian army says Israeli strikes hit northern Aleppo city, damages materials only

Homesick artist fills Dubai exhibition with scents from Syria

Four children were among at least 11 people killed when a war-damaged block of flats collapsed in Syria's second city Aleppo on Saturday, state media said.

One child was pulled out alive from the rubble of the five-storey block after rescue teams toiled, many of them with their bare hands, to remove the shattered breeze blocks that had buried him, AFP photographers reported.

He was the sole survivor of the collapse in the formerly rebel-held neighbourhood of Salaheddin, the official SANA news agency reported.

Saleheddin was heavily bombed before the army overran rebel districts with Russian support in late 2016.

What little reconstruction there has been among the ruins has been carried out privately. The state has limited public works to the restoration of basic infrastructure. Many of the buildings around the block that caved in still bear the scars of the ferocious four-year battle for the northern city, with several on the brink of collapse.

Washington has estimated the costs of rebuilding Syria's devastated housing and infrastructure at between $300 billion and $400 billion.

But it warned last month that, while overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad was no longer a goal of US policy, it would contribute no reconstruction funds without fundamental reform in Damascus.

Four children were among at least 11 people killed when a war-damaged block of flats collapsed in Syria's second city Aleppo on Saturday, state media said. One child was pulled out alive from the rubble of the five-storey block after rescue teams toiled, many of them with their bare hands, to remove the shattered breeze blocks that had buried him, AFP photographers reported.

Four children were among at least 11 people killed when a war-damaged block of flats collapsed in Syria's second city Aleppo on Saturday, state media said. One child was pulled out alive from the rubble of the five-storey block after rescue teams toiled, many of them with their bare hands, to remove the shattered breeze blocks that had buried him, AFP photographers reported. He was the sole survivor of the collapse in the formerly rebel-held neighbourhood of Salaheddin, the official SANA news agency reported. Saleheddin was heavily bombed before the army overran rebel districts with Russian support in late 2016. What little reconstruction there has been among the ruins has been carried out privately. The state has limited public works to the restoration of basic infrastructure. Many of the buildings around the block that caved in still bear the scars of the ferocious four-year battle for the northern city, with several on the brink of collapse. Washington has estimated the costs of rebuilding Syria's devastated housing and infrastructure at between $300 billion and $400 billion. But it warned last month that, while overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad was no longer a goal of US policy, it would contribute no reconstruction funds without fundamental reform in Damascus.

11 dead as war-damaged flats collapse in Syria's Aleppo

What can be done when a state acts against its citizens? Or, put slightly differently, do people of and within a given state have recourse to redressal when their state turns against them? &nbsp;No is the sad answer. The questions posed here are not academic. These are the real world, hardnosed questions and issues which are panning out all too poignantly in a country which has become emblematic of peoples’ epic helplessness and the international community’s stoic but hypocritical inaction. The reference is to Syria and its peoples who have been trapped in the crosshairs of a vicious conflict that now has morphed into a veritable battlefield for the panning out of competing geopolitical interests.

The victims, with no clear end game in sight, have been the people of Syria, killed, injured or displaced by the vortex of this deadly conflict. The so called international community not just watches as a mute spectator but, in reality, the Syrian conflict or even war, has provided its major states opportunity to expand their respective interests. Needless to say, this politics of opportunism goes against the high minded and lofty-sounding principles that the so called international community professes and, at times, loudly proclaims. &nbsp;All this raises a bevvy of questions: what explains the impunity of states when they act against their people? Why is the international community “helpless” in cases like these? What explains the dissonance between the international community’s proclamations and its (in)action? &nbsp;Last but not the least, do then people have to be at the sufferance of a state that goes against them? And, with reference to the “case” in contention, will the people of Syria ever have a respite from war, misery and depredation?

The thrust of the answer lies in the summum bonum of international politics and system: the state and its concomitant, sovereignty. The fundamental unit of the international system is the state and sovereignty is the bedrock of the state. This system and its corollaries, accruing from the Treaty of Westphalia has till now held its ground, so to speak. While there are some salubrious aspects to it but, it would appear, that the main failing of the Westphalian system is its privileging of the state over people. State sovereignty then acts as a shield for the state under which a given state can do anything, without accountability to anyone. (This happens because the international system and international relations are anarchic. That is, there is no higher authority in the system to which states can take recourse to). States then are free to do anything within their sovereign jurisdictions and frontiers.

&nbsp;The tragic Syrian saga corresponds to sovereignty as a shield, under which a regime has not only gone against its people but murdered, gassed and displaced them.&nbsp;

The question that may be posed here is that is not international law a binding constraint on states? The answer again is no. International law is merely a normative corpus of laws that hardly goes against a state. And, states merely or largely pay lip service to it. International law is also handicapped by the absence of an appellate authority where people can take their case(s) to. The International Criminal Court of Justice exists but yet again sovereignty is a major constraint here along with the reluctance or even obstructionism by major states. The recent threats against and bullying toward the ICJ by United States national security advisor, John Bolton, illustrate the point.

States’ sovereignty and prerogatives thereof win over the safety and security of the people. Obiter dictum, public opinion as a rallying force against states’ atrocities against their people is a pious and a vain wish. Unless and until a given state's interests (howsoever defined) are not affected, it will not act. The state system then, despite proclamations to the contrary, is slanted and configured against people. &nbsp;As a corollary, the so called international community is a fiction maintained perhaps for rhetorical purposes.

Against this backdrop, and with reference to Syria, its people are doomed to suffer and their collective fate is uncertain. But, this assertion must be qualified. Syria and its peoples are doomed to be trapped in the vortex of war and depredation, till a power state decides to act for them.

The reference here is not to the so called Responsibility to Protect (R2P), another vain construct that flounders on the rocks of reality but humanitarian intervention, of a military nature. But, humanitarian intervention, appears to be an oxymoron, for states hardly ever act out of altruism. They act when their interests are at stake. However, there has been an odd case of humanitarian intervention or so in the recent past. If this is the case, why has not this happened in the case of Syria? The reason might be civilizational or cultural. 
 
Syrians, by and large, are Muslims so the world powers might not be amenable to intervene military in the conflict. &nbsp;However, the overwhelming reason appears to be there are no stakes for Great powers to intervene except as players to advance their interests. To put a semantic twist to it, Great Powers might also be an oxymoronic phrase. 
 
There might be powerful powers, if this phrase makes sense but no great powers for greatness&nbsp;is not something that accrues from the metrics of power but sheer and pure humanity which is conspicuously missing from any so called Great power. &nbsp;Greatness is earned by what an individual, persons, groups or even states can do for their fellow humans even if they are “different”. There, alas, is no such great power, in the world, that can offer respite and succour to the blighted people of Syria. They will suffer till perhaps Providence intervenes!

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

What can be done when a state acts against its citizens? Or, put slightly differently, do people of and within a given state have recourse to redressal when their state turns against them?

What can be done when a state acts against its citizens? Or, put slightly differently, do people of and within a given state have recourse to redressal when their state turns against them? No is the sad answer. The questions posed here are not academic. These are the real world, hardnosed questions and issues which are panning out all too poignantly in a country which has become emblematic of peoples’ epic helplessness and the international community’s stoic but hypocritical inaction. The reference is to Syria and its peoples who have been trapped in the crosshairs of a vicious conflict that now has morphed into a veritable battlefield for the panning out of competing geopolitical interests. The victims, with no clear end game in sight, have been the people of Syria, killed, injured or displaced by the vortex of this deadly conflict. The so called international community not just watches as a mute spectator but, in reality, the Syrian conflict or even war, has provided its major states opportunity to expand their respective interests. Needless to say, this politics of opportunism goes against the high minded and lofty-sounding principles that the so called international community professes and, at times, loudly proclaims. All this raises a bevvy of questions: what explains the impunity of states when they act against their people? Why is the international community “helpless” in cases like these? What explains the dissonance between the international community’s proclamations and its (in)action? Last but not the least, do then people have to be at the sufferance of a state that goes against them? And, with reference to the “case” in contention, will the people of Syria ever have a respite from war, misery and depredation? The thrust of the answer lies in the summum bonum of international politics and system: the state and its concomitant, sovereignty. The fundamental unit of the international system is the state and sovereignty is the bedrock of the state. This system and its corollaries, accruing from the Treaty of Westphalia has till now held its ground, so to speak. While there are some salubrious aspects to it but, it would appear, that the main failing of the Westphalian system is its privileging of the state over people. State sovereignty then acts as a shield for the state under which a given state can do anything, without accountability to anyone. (This happens because the international system and international relations are anarchic. That is, there is no higher authority in the system to which states can take recourse to). States then are free to do anything within their sovereign jurisdictions and frontiers. The tragic Syrian saga corresponds to sovereignty as a shield, under which a regime has not only gone against its people but murdered, gassed and displaced them. The question that may be posed here is that is not international law a binding constraint on states? The answer again is no. International law is merely a normative corpus of laws that hardly goes against a state. And, states merely or largely pay lip service to it. International law is also handicapped by the absence of an appellate authority where people can take their case(s) to. The International Criminal Court of Justice exists but yet again sovereignty is a major constraint here along with the reluctance or even obstructionism by major states. The recent threats against and bullying toward the ICJ by United States national security advisor, John Bolton, illustrate the point. States’ sovereignty and prerogatives thereof win over the safety and security of the people. Obiter dictum, public opinion as a rallying force against states’ atrocities against their people is a pious and a vain wish. Unless and until a given state's interests (howsoever defined) are not affected, it will not act. The state system then, despite proclamations to the contrary, is slanted and configured against people. As a corollary, the so called international community is a fiction maintained perhaps for rhetorical purposes. Against this backdrop, and with reference to Syria, its people are doomed to suffer and their collective fate is uncertain. But, this assertion must be qualified. Syria and its peoples are doomed to be trapped in the vortex of war and depredation, till a power state decides to act for them. The reference here is not to the so called Responsibility to Protect (R2P), another vain construct that flounders on the rocks of reality but humanitarian intervention, of a military nature. But, humanitarian intervention, appears to be an oxymoron, for states hardly ever act out of altruism. They act when their interests are at stake. However, there has been an odd case of humanitarian intervention or so in the recent past. If this is the case, why has not this happened in the case of Syria? The reason might be civilizational or cultural. Syrians, by and large, are Muslims so the world powers might not be amenable to intervene military in the conflict. However, the overwhelming reason appears to be there are no stakes for Great powers to intervene except as players to advance their interests. To put a semantic twist to it, Great Powers might also be an oxymoronic phrase. There might be powerful powers, if this phrase makes sense but no great powers for greatness is not something that accrues from the metrics of power but sheer and pure humanity which is conspicuously missing from any so called Great power. Greatness is earned by what an individual, persons, groups or even states can do for their fellow humans even if they are “different”. There, alas, is no such great power, in the world, that can offer respite and succour to the blighted people of Syria. They will suffer till perhaps Providence intervenes! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The international community has failed Syria

A war monitor said buses evacuated Islamic State fighters from an enclave south of Damascus on Sunday in a withdrawal deal, though state media denied the report and said the Syrian army was fighting to finish off the insurgents.

The recovery of the enclave south of Damascus will mark another milestone in President Bashar al-Assa's war effort, crushing the last besieged rebel enclave in western Syria.

Swathes of territory at the borders with Iraq, Turkey and Jordan, however, remain outside state control.

Syrian government forces and their allies have been battling to recover the enclave south of Damascus since defeating rebels in eastern Ghouta, also near the capital, in April.

The area is centred around the al-Hajar al-Aswad district and the adjoining Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk.

In a live broadcast, a reporter with Syrian state TV said the Syrian army operations in the Hajar al-Aswad area were nearing their end and insurgent lines were collapsing as columns of smoke rose from the area behind him.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said buses had entered the enclave after midnight to take out fighters and their families. They had left towards the Syrian Badia, a sparsely populated expanse of territory east of the capital that extends to the border with Jordan and Iraq, it said.&nbsp

Islamic State militants had torched their offices in the Yarmouk enclave, the Observatory said.

Negotiated withdrawals have been a common feature of the Syrian war in recent years as the government, aided by the Russian military and Iran-backed forces, has steadily clawed back territory.

The rebels have mostly been given safe passage to northwestern Syria. In the last two months alone, the United Nations says 110,000 people have been evacuated to northwestern Syria and rebel-held areas north of Aleppo.

The opposition has called it a policy of forced displacement amounting to demographic change to drive out Assad's opponents. The Syrian government has said nobody is forced to leave and those who stay must accept state rule.

While Assad has vowed to win back "every inch" of Syria, the map of the conflict suggests a more complicated time ahead from now on.&nbsp

The US&nbspmilitary is in much of the east and northeast, which is controlled by Kurdish groups that want autonomy from Damascus. It has used force to defend the territory from pro-Assad forces.

Turkey has sent forces into the northwest to counter those same Kurdish groups, carving out a buffer zone where anti-Assad rebels have regrouped.

In the southwest, where rebels hold territory at the Israeli and Jordanian border, Assad faces the risk of conflict with Israel, which wants his Iranian-backed allies kept well away from the frontier and has mounted air strikes in Syria.&nbsp

The recovery of the enclave south of Damascus will mark another milestone in President Bashar al-Assad's war effort, crushing the last besieged rebel enclave in western Syria

A war monitor said buses evacuated Islamic State fighters from an enclave south of Damascus on Sunday in a withdrawal deal, though state media denied the report and said the Syrian army was fighting to finish off the insurgents. The recovery of the enclave south of Damascus will mark another milestone in President Bashar al-Assa's war effort, crushing the last besieged rebel enclave in western Syria. Swathes of territory at the borders with Iraq, Turkey and Jordan, however, remain outside state control. Syrian government forces and their allies have been battling to recover the enclave south of Damascus since defeating rebels in eastern Ghouta, also near the capital, in April. The area is centred around the al-Hajar al-Aswad district and the adjoining Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk. In a live broadcast, a reporter with Syrian state TV said the Syrian army operations in the Hajar al-Aswad area were nearing their end and insurgent lines were collapsing as columns of smoke rose from the area behind him. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said buses had entered the enclave after midnight to take out fighters and their families. They had left towards the Syrian Badia, a sparsely populated expanse of territory east of the capital that extends to the border with Jordan and Iraq, it said. Islamic State militants had torched their offices in the Yarmouk enclave, the Observatory said. Negotiated withdrawals have been a common feature of the Syrian war in recent years as the government, aided by the Russian military and Iran-backed forces, has steadily clawed back territory. The rebels have mostly been given safe passage to northwestern Syria. In the last two months alone, the United Nations says 110,000 people have been evacuated to northwestern Syria and rebel-held areas north of Aleppo. The opposition has called it a policy of forced displacement amounting to demographic change to drive out Assad's opponents. The Syrian government has said nobody is forced to leave and those who stay must accept state rule. While Assad has vowed to win back "every inch" of Syria, the map of the conflict suggests a more complicated time ahead from now on. The US&nbspmilitary is in much of the east and northeast, which is controlled by Kurdish groups that want autonomy from Damascus. It has used force to defend the territory from pro-Assad forces. Turkey has sent forces into the northwest to counter those same Kurdish groups, carving out a buffer zone where anti-Assad rebels have regrouped. In the southwest, where rebels hold territory at the Israeli and Jordanian border, Assad faces the risk of conflict with Israel, which wants his Iranian-backed allies kept well away from the frontier and has mounted air strikes in Syria.

Syrian monitor says insurgents quit enclave, state media denies it

The death toll from a bomb attack on a crowded bus convoy outside Aleppo has reached at least 126 in the deadliest such incident in Syria in almost a year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Sunday.

The Observatory and the United Nations cited reports that more than 60 children were among the dead.

Syrian rescue workers of the Civil Defence said that they had taken away at least 100 bodies from the site of Saturday&#39;s blast, which hit buses carrying Shi&#39;ite residents as they waited to cross from rebel into government territory in an evacuation deal between the warring sides.

The British-based Observatory said the number was expected to rise.

Those killed were mostly residents of the villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province, but included rebel fighters guarding the convoy, the Observatory said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which pro-Damascus media said was carried out by a suicide car bomber.

Syria&#39;s main armed opposition condemned the bombing, with groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army describing it as a &quot;treacherous terrorist attack&quot;.

Pope Francis, in an Easter message, also condemned the attack, describing it as &quot;ignoble&quot;, and asking God to bring healing and comfort to what he called the &quot;beloved and martyred Syria&quot;.

The convoy was carrying at least 5,000 people including civilians and several hundred pro-government fighters, who were granted safe passage out of the two Shi&#39;ite villages which are besieged by rebels.

Under the evacuation deal, more than 2,000 people, including rebel fighters, were granted safe passage out of Madaya, a town near Damascus besieged by government forces and their allies.

That convoy was waiting at a bus garage in a government-held area on Aleppo&#39;s outskirts, a few miles from where the attack took place. Madaya evacuees said they heard the blast.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Syrian rescue workers of the Civil Defence said they had taken away at least 100 bodies from the site of Saturday's blast

The death toll from a bomb attack on a crowded bus convoy outside Aleppo has reached at least 126 in the deadliest such incident in Syria in almost a year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Sunday. The Observatory and the United Nations cited reports that more than 60 children were among the dead. Syrian rescue workers of the Civil Defence said that they had taken away at least 100 bodies from the site of Saturday's blast, which hit buses carrying Shi'ite residents as they waited to cross from rebel into government territory in an evacuation deal between the warring sides. The British-based Observatory said the number was expected to rise. Those killed were mostly residents of the villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province, but included rebel fighters guarding the convoy, the Observatory said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which pro-Damascus media said was carried out by a suicide car bomber. Syria's main armed opposition condemned the bombing, with groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army describing it as a "treacherous terrorist attack". Pope Francis, in an Easter message, also condemned the attack, describing it as "ignoble", and asking God to bring healing and comfort to what he called the "beloved and martyred Syria". The convoy was carrying at least 5,000 people including civilians and several hundred pro-government fighters, who were granted safe passage out of the two Shi'ite villages which are besieged by rebels. Under the evacuation deal, more than 2,000 people, including rebel fighters, were granted safe passage out of Madaya, a town near Damascus besieged by government forces and their allies. That convoy was waiting at a bus garage in a government-held area on Aleppo's outskirts, a few miles from where the attack took place. Madaya evacuees said they heard the blast. (Reuters)

Death toll from bomb attack on Aleppo bus convoy at least 126: Monitor

Nearly 70 children were among those killed when a suicide car bombing tore through buses carrying evacuees from besieged government-held towns in Syria, a monitor said on Sunday.

Saturday&#39;s blast hit a convoy carrying residents from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya as they waited at a transit point in rebel-held Rashidin, west of Aleppo.

At least 68 children were among the 126 people killed in the attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, updating a previous toll of 112 dead.

At least 109 of the dead were evacuees, the Britain-based monitoring group said, while the rest were aid workers and rebels guarding the convoy.

The evacuations were taking place under a deal between Syria&#39;s regime and rebels that is also seeing residents and rebels transported out of Madaya and Zabadani, towns near Damascus that are surrounded by pro-government forces.

The agreement is the latest in a string of evacuation deals, which the government of President Bashar al-Assad says are the best way to end the violence after more than six years of civil war.&nbsp;

Rebels say they amount to forced relocations after years of bombardment and crippling sieges.

Body parts and the belongings of evacuees -- including clothes, dishes and even televisions -- were still strewn at the scene of the attack Sunday, an AFP correspondent said.

The shattered buses were nearby as was the shell of a pick-up truck -- with little left but its engine block -- that was apparently used to carry out the bombing.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, though the key Ahrar al-Sham rebel group denied any involvement. The government blamed &quot;terrorists&quot; -- a catch-all term for its opponents.

The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria to monitor the conflict, said hundreds of people were also wounded in the blast.

People crying and shouting

It said a petrol station at the transit point was caught up in the explosion, adding to the number of victims.

The Syrian Red Crescent said three of its workers were among the wounded.

Maysa al-Aswad, a 30-year-old evacuee from Kafraya, said she was sitting on one bus with her six-month-old son Hadi and 10-year-old daughter Narjis when the blast shook the parked convoy.

&quot;Hadi was on my lap and Narjis on a chair next to me. When the explosion happened I hugged them both and we fell to the floor,&quot; she told AFP by telephone from near Aleppo.

&quot;I didn&#39;t know what was happening, all I could hear was people crying and shouting,&quot; she said.

&quot;All I can think about is how we survived all the death during the last few years and then could have died just after we finally escaped.&quot;

More than 5,000 people left Fuaa and Kafraya and about 2,200 left Madaya and Zabadani on Friday.

The evacuation process resumed after the bombing, the Observatory said, with the residents of Fuaa and Kafraya eventually arriving in Aleppo, Syria&#39;s second city which the government gained full control of last year.

Wounded survivors, including many children, were taken for treatment at an Aleppo hospital.

Monstrous, cowardly attack

UN aid chief Stephen O&#39;Brien condemned the bombing, saying: &quot;The perpetrators of such a monstrous and cowardly attack displayed a shameless disregard for human life.&quot;

Pope Francis also urged an end to the war in Syria as he presided over the traditional Easter mass in Rome.

The residents and rebels from Madaya and Zabadani arrived late Saturday in rebel-held territory in Idlib province, where they were greeted with embraces and shots fired into the air.

It was not immediately clear whether further evacuations were taking place on Sunday.

The evacuation deal was brokered by Qatar, a longtime supporter of Syrian opposition forces, and Iran, a key regime ally. &nbsp;

Another 3,000 civilians and fighters should be evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, and 150 rebels from Zabadani, to complete a first wave of evacuations under the deal, the Observatory said.

A second phase of evacuations from the government-held towns is expected in a few months&#39; time, it said.

Syria&#39;s war has killed more than 320,000 people since erupting in 2011, with more than half the population forced from their homes and hundreds of thousands trapped under siege.

On Sunday, regime troops retook the town of Suran in central Syria, thus regaining all territory they had lost to rebels and their jihadist allies in Hama province in an assault on March 21.

(AFP)

Saturday's blast hit a convoy carrying residents from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya

Nearly 70 children were among those killed when a suicide car bombing tore through buses carrying evacuees from besieged government-held towns in Syria, a monitor said on Sunday. Saturday's blast hit a convoy carrying residents from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya as they waited at a transit point in rebel-held Rashidin, west of Aleppo. At least 68 children were among the 126 people killed in the attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, updating a previous toll of 112 dead. At least 109 of the dead were evacuees, the Britain-based monitoring group said, while the rest were aid workers and rebels guarding the convoy. The evacuations were taking place under a deal between Syria's regime and rebels that is also seeing residents and rebels transported out of Madaya and Zabadani, towns near Damascus that are surrounded by pro-government forces. The agreement is the latest in a string of evacuation deals, which the government of President Bashar al-Assad says are the best way to end the violence after more than six years of civil war. Rebels say they amount to forced relocations after years of bombardment and crippling sieges. Body parts and the belongings of evacuees -- including clothes, dishes and even televisions -- were still strewn at the scene of the attack Sunday, an AFP correspondent said. The shattered buses were nearby as was the shell of a pick-up truck -- with little left but its engine block -- that was apparently used to carry out the bombing. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, though the key Ahrar al-Sham rebel group denied any involvement. The government blamed "terrorists" -- a catch-all term for its opponents. The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria to monitor the conflict, said hundreds of people were also wounded in the blast. People crying and shouting It said a petrol station at the transit point was caught up in the explosion, adding to the number of victims. The Syrian Red Crescent said three of its workers were among the wounded. Maysa al-Aswad, a 30-year-old evacuee from Kafraya, said she was sitting on one bus with her six-month-old son Hadi and 10-year-old daughter Narjis when the blast shook the parked convoy. "Hadi was on my lap and Narjis on a chair next to me. When the explosion happened I hugged them both and we fell to the floor," she told AFP by telephone from near Aleppo. "I didn't know what was happening, all I could hear was people crying and shouting," she said. "All I can think about is how we survived all the death during the last few years and then could have died just after we finally escaped." More than 5,000 people left Fuaa and Kafraya and about 2,200 left Madaya and Zabadani on Friday. The evacuation process resumed after the bombing, the Observatory said, with the residents of Fuaa and Kafraya eventually arriving in Aleppo, Syria's second city which the government gained full control of last year. Wounded survivors, including many children, were taken for treatment at an Aleppo hospital. Monstrous, cowardly attack UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien condemned the bombing, saying: "The perpetrators of such a monstrous and cowardly attack displayed a shameless disregard for human life." Pope Francis also urged an end to the war in Syria as he presided over the traditional Easter mass in Rome. The residents and rebels from Madaya and Zabadani arrived late Saturday in rebel-held territory in Idlib province, where they were greeted with embraces and shots fired into the air. It was not immediately clear whether further evacuations were taking place on Sunday. The evacuation deal was brokered by Qatar, a longtime supporter of Syrian opposition forces, and Iran, a key regime ally. Another 3,000 civilians and fighters should be evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, and 150 rebels from Zabadani, to complete a first wave of evacuations under the deal, the Observatory said. A second phase of evacuations from the government-held towns is expected in a few months' time, it said. Syria's war has killed more than 320,000 people since erupting in 2011, with more than half the population forced from their homes and hundreds of thousands trapped under siege. On Sunday, regime troops retook the town of Suran in central Syria, thus regaining all territory they had lost to rebels and their jihadist allies in Hama province in an assault on March 21. (AFP)

Nearly 70 children killed in Syria bomb attack on convoy: Monitor

Both sides in the battle for Aleppo committed war crimes, including Syrian government aircraft that &quot;deliberately&quot; bombed and strafed a humanitarian convoy, killing 14 aid workers and halting relief operations, UN&nbsp;investigators said on Wednesday.

Syrian and Russian forces conducted daily air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo between July and its fall on December 22, killing hundreds and destroying hospitals, they said in their latest report.

Orphanages, schools and homes were &quot;all but obliterated&quot;, panel chairman Paulo Pinheiro told a news conference.

Opposition groups shelled government-controlled western Aleppo, killing and injuring dozens, the report said. They prevented civilians from fleeing besieged eastern Aleppo, using them as human shields - a war crime.

&quot;The scale of what happened in Aleppo is unprecedented in the Syrian conflict. Much of Aleppo, once Syria&#39;s biggest city and its commercial and culture centre and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been reduced to rubble,&quot; Pinheiro said.

He called for ensuring that &quot;those responsible for this ruinous situation one day are brought to justice&quot;.

His team was ready to share its confidential list of suspected war criminals on all sides with a new UN&nbsp;body on Syria being set up in Geneva to prepare criminal prosecutions.

&quot;It cannot pass without having this step toward justice, because of the great numbers of victims,&quot; panel member Carla del Ponte said. &quot;We are still far off.&quot;

Satellite imagery

Cluster munitions were &quot;pervasively used&quot; and air-dropped into densely populated areas, the report said, amounting to the war crime of indiscriminate attacks.

But investigators could not say whether both Syrian and Russian forces used them in Aleppo or only one had because of similarities in the weapons and aircraft used.

They also did not attribute any specific war crime investigated to Russian forces but Pinheiro said they would assign responsibility &quot;if and when we can prove it&quot;.

The UN&nbsp;Commission of Inquiry&#39;s report - released as Syrian peace talks continue in Geneva - covers the July-December period and is based on 291 interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of forensic evidence and satellite imagery.

Syrian helicopters unleashed toxic chlorine bombs &quot;throughout 2016&quot; on Aleppo, a banned weapon that caused hundreds of civilian casualties there, it said.

At least 5,000 pro-government forces had encircled eastern Aleppo in a &quot;surrender or starve&quot; tactic.

The investigators accused the Syrian government of a &quot;meticulously planned and ruthlessly carried out&quot; air strike on a UN&nbsp;and Syrian Red Crescent convoy at Orum al-Kubra, in rural western Aleppo on Sept&nbsp;19 that killed 14 aid workers.

A previous UN&nbsp;inquiry had been unable to determine who conducted the strike.

&quot;By using air-delivered munitions with the knowledge that humanitarian workers were operating in the location, Syrian forces committed the war crimes of deliberately attacking humanitarian relief personnel, denial of humanitarian aid, and attacking civilians,&quot; the report said.

Survivors &quot;consistently described&quot; three stages of attack&nbsp;corroborated by photographs of remnants and satellite analysis.

&quot;First helicopters dropped barrel bombs, which struck the warehouse and a family home nearby ... Subsequently, planes, described by several witnesses as Sukhoi jets, carried out attacks, killing several aid workers. Lastly, the aircraft fired machine guns at survivors.&quot;

(Reuters)

UN investigators said both Syria and Russia conducted daily air strikes on eastern Aleppo in 2016, killing hundreds and destroying hospitals

Both sides in the battle for Aleppo committed war crimes, including Syrian government aircraft that "deliberately" bombed and strafed a humanitarian convoy, killing 14 aid workers and halting relief operations, UN investigators said on Wednesday. Syrian and Russian forces conducted daily air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo between July and its fall on December 22, killing hundreds and destroying hospitals, they said in their latest report. Orphanages, schools and homes were "all but obliterated", panel chairman Paulo Pinheiro told a news conference. Opposition groups shelled government-controlled western Aleppo, killing and injuring dozens, the report said. They prevented civilians from fleeing besieged eastern Aleppo, using them as human shields - a war crime. "The scale of what happened in Aleppo is unprecedented in the Syrian conflict. Much of Aleppo, once Syria's biggest city and its commercial and culture centre and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been reduced to rubble," Pinheiro said. He called for ensuring that "those responsible for this ruinous situation one day are brought to justice". His team was ready to share its confidential list of suspected war criminals on all sides with a new UN body on Syria being set up in Geneva to prepare criminal prosecutions. "It cannot pass without having this step toward justice, because of the great numbers of victims," panel member Carla del Ponte said. "We are still far off." Satellite imagery Cluster munitions were "pervasively used" and air-dropped into densely populated areas, the report said, amounting to the war crime of indiscriminate attacks. But investigators could not say whether both Syrian and Russian forces used them in Aleppo or only one had because of similarities in the weapons and aircraft used. They also did not attribute any specific war crime investigated to Russian forces but Pinheiro said they would assign responsibility "if and when we can prove it". The UN Commission of Inquiry's report - released as Syrian peace talks continue in Geneva - covers the July-December period and is based on 291 interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of forensic evidence and satellite imagery. Syrian helicopters unleashed toxic chlorine bombs "throughout 2016" on Aleppo, a banned weapon that caused hundreds of civilian casualties there, it said. At least 5,000 pro-government forces had encircled eastern Aleppo in a "surrender or starve" tactic. The investigators accused the Syrian government of a "meticulously planned and ruthlessly carried out" air strike on a UN and Syrian Red Crescent convoy at Orum al-Kubra, in rural western Aleppo on Sept 19 that killed 14 aid workers. A previous UN inquiry had been unable to determine who conducted the strike. "By using air-delivered munitions with the knowledge that humanitarian workers were operating in the location, Syrian forces committed the war crimes of deliberately attacking humanitarian relief personnel, denial of humanitarian aid, and attacking civilians," the report said. Survivors "consistently described" three stages of attack corroborated by photographs of remnants and satellite analysis. "First helicopters dropped barrel bombs, which struck the warehouse and a family home nearby ... Subsequently, planes, described by several witnesses as Sukhoi jets, carried out attacks, killing several aid workers. Lastly, the aircraft fired machine guns at survivors." (Reuters)

Syrian air force 'deliberately' bombed humanitarian convoy in Aleppo: UN

Syria&#39;s military said Thursday it had captured a string of towns and part of a key highway from the Islamic State group in the northern province of Aleppo.

Since launching a broad offensive against the jihadists nearly three weeks ago, the army has taken around 250 square kilometres (100 square miles) of territory, it said in a statement carried by official news agency SANA.

The army said the advances form &quot;a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh,&quot; using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have steadily advanced in Syria&#39;s north since announcing they had retaken full control over Aleppo city in late December.

It was the biggest blow to Syria&#39;s rebel movement since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011.

Syria&#39;s army on Thursday also said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab.

Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, is the last remaining IS bastion in Aleppo province and is seen as a prize by nearly all sides of Syria&#39;s complex war.

Since December, Turkey-backed rebel fighters known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fierce fighting Thursday on the edges of Al-Bab left 11 IS fighters and seven Euphrates Shield fighters dead.

&quot;There may be Turkish soldiers among the Euphrates Shield toll, but we don&#39;t know yet,&quot; said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

Euphrates Shield forces are on the edges of the IS-held town, while government and allied fighters are still approximately seven kilometres to the south, according to the Britain-based monitor.

&quot;Regime fighters and Euphrates Shield forces are within sight of each other, but they haven`t attacked each other yet,&quot; he told AFP.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged last month that &quot;the operation in Syria&#39;s Al-Bab will be finished in a short time, God willing&quot;.

But Ankara&#39;s involvement has angered Damascus, which on Thursday said it delivered two letters to the United Nations Security Council rebuking Turkey&#39;s military operations in Syria.

&quot;In recent days, Turkish armed forces have carried out an incursion into Syrian territory and have occupied some Syrian villages, including two west of Al-Bab,&quot; said the letters, sent by the foreign ministry and published by SANA.

&quot;This represents a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the rules of international law,&quot; they said.

The letters accused Ankara of supporting &quot;terrorism&quot; and said the Security Council should act to &quot;put an end to the violations of the Turkish regime&quot;.

In January, Turkey&#39;s air force began carrying out joint bombing raids around Al-Bab with Assad ally Russia.

The two parties back opposing sides in the war but have joined forces in recent months to try to bring an end to the bloody conflict.

More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have been displaced since the uprising broke out nearly six years ago.

(AFP)

The army said the advances form 'a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh,' using an Arabic acronym for IS

Syria's military said Thursday it had captured a string of towns and part of a key highway from the Islamic State group in the northern province of Aleppo. Since launching a broad offensive against the jihadists nearly three weeks ago, the army has taken around 250 square kilometres (100 square miles) of territory, it said in a statement carried by official news agency SANA. The army said the advances form "a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh," using an Arabic acronym for IS. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have steadily advanced in Syria's north since announcing they had retaken full control over Aleppo city in late December. It was the biggest blow to Syria's rebel movement since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011. Syria's army on Thursday also said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab. Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, is the last remaining IS bastion in Aleppo province and is seen as a prize by nearly all sides of Syria's complex war. Since December, Turkey-backed rebel fighters known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fierce fighting Thursday on the edges of Al-Bab left 11 IS fighters and seven Euphrates Shield fighters dead. "There may be Turkish soldiers among the Euphrates Shield toll, but we don't know yet," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. Euphrates Shield forces are on the edges of the IS-held town, while government and allied fighters are still approximately seven kilometres to the south, according to the Britain-based monitor. "Regime fighters and Euphrates Shield forces are within sight of each other, but they haven`t attacked each other yet," he told AFP. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged last month that "the operation in Syria's Al-Bab will be finished in a short time, God willing". But Ankara's involvement has angered Damascus, which on Thursday said it delivered two letters to the United Nations Security Council rebuking Turkey's military operations in Syria. "In recent days, Turkish armed forces have carried out an incursion into Syrian territory and have occupied some Syrian villages, including two west of Al-Bab," said the letters, sent by the foreign ministry and published by SANA. "This represents a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the rules of international law," they said. The letters accused Ankara of supporting "terrorism" and said the Security Council should act to "put an end to the violations of the Turkish regime". In January, Turkey's air force began carrying out joint bombing raids around Al-Bab with Assad ally Russia. The two parties back opposing sides in the war but have joined forces in recent months to try to bring an end to the bloody conflict. More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have been displaced since the uprising broke out nearly six years ago. (AFP)

Aleppo: Syrian forces advance in fight against Islamic State, take control of key highway

Syrians cheered excitedly in an Aleppo stadium on Saturday as they watched their first live football match in the war-ravaged city in years.

&nbsp;

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The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo. (AFP)
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The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo in 2012, dividing the northern city into a regime-held west and rebel-controlled east.

The sixth stage league game comes after the army last month retook Aleppo&#39;s eastern neighbourhoods, regaining control of the whole city.

Police in full riot gear stood by as eager fans wearing winter jackets and woolly hats chanted their encouragements to their team on the dry grass pitch.

A large Ittihad banner draped in the stands featured an image of President Bashar al-Assad.

Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war, despite having lost friends who had been killed or fled Syria during its nearly six-year war.

&quot;The last match I went to was in 2010,&quot; said Mohammed Ali, who appeared to be in his early thirties, his hair slicked back and beard neatly trimmed for the occasion.

&quot;Of course there were a lot more of us then. I was with my friends. Now some of them have travelled and others died,&quot; he said, sporting his team&#39;s red and black jersey.&nbsp;

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Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war. (AFP)
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More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in the conflict since it erupted with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Since 2012, Ittihad and Hurriya had only ever played games in other parts of Syria. Earlier games this season for both teams were held in the regime coastal stronghold of Latakia.

&#39;Heart beating fast&#39;

&quot;We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo,&quot; Ghassan Mahmoud, another supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off.

&quot;But now security has returned, we hope the club&#39;s crowds will slowly come back to the stands,&quot; he said, standing next to a fellow fan in a Syrian-flag-themed outfit and beanie hat.

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&quot;We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo,&quot; Ghassan Mahmoud, a supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off. (AFP)
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As they warmed up outside in their tracksuits before the match, the Ittihad team&#39;s bright red and black shirts hung on hooks in the changing room.&nbsp;

&quot;I can&#39;t tell you how it feels to return to the pitch (in Aleppo) after five years,&quot; said Ittihad player Omar Hamidi before the game.

&quot;My heart&#39;s beating so fast,&quot; he said, adding that his last game in the city was in 2011.

Bakri Turab, another player, said he had &quot;been waiting for this moment for years&quot;.

Fans cheered as Ittihad took to the field to play their black-clad rivals, with young boys dressed in green looking on from the touchlines.

Maher Khayata, deputy head of the general sports union, this week said the game was &quot;a first step towards Aleppo clubs returning to play on home ground, waiting for pitches to be ready&quot;.

But so far no other game has yet been scheduled in Aleppo.

With games played previously all over the country, the Syria League was suspended after the conflict erupted nearly six years ago.

In 2012, matches resumed in a reduced format and only in only the regime-held cities of Damascus and Latakia.

A National Football Federation official last month said Syria League games would now return to the central cites of Homs and Hama after they were deemed safe.

(AFP)

There has been no professional football in Aleppo since it was divided between the army and rebel forces in 2011

Syrians cheered excitedly in an Aleppo stadium on Saturday as they watched their first live football match in the war-ravaged city in years. The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo. (AFP) × The Ittihad club beat Hurriya 2-1 in their first match on home turf since rebels took east Aleppo in 2012, dividing the northern city into a regime-held west and rebel-controlled east. The sixth stage league game comes after the army last month retook Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods, regaining control of the whole city. Police in full riot gear stood by as eager fans wearing winter jackets and woolly hats chanted their encouragements to their team on the dry grass pitch. A large Ittihad banner draped in the stands featured an image of President Bashar al-Assad. Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war, despite having lost friends who had been killed or fled Syria during its nearly six-year war. "The last match I went to was in 2010," said Mohammed Ali, who appeared to be in his early thirties, his hair slicked back and beard neatly trimmed for the occasion. "Of course there were a lot more of us then. I was with my friends. Now some of them have travelled and others died," he said, sporting his team's red and black jersey. Fans were delighted to return to the stadium after years of war. (AFP) × More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in the conflict since it erupted with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Since 2012, Ittihad and Hurriya had only ever played games in other parts of Syria. Earlier games this season for both teams were held in the regime coastal stronghold of Latakia. 'Heart beating fast' "We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo," Ghassan Mahmoud, another supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off. "But now security has returned, we hope the club's crowds will slowly come back to the stands," he said, standing next to a fellow fan in a Syrian-flag-themed outfit and beanie hat. "We had started feeling a bit desperate because no match was ever held in Aleppo," Ghassan Mahmoud, a supporter in a leather jacket, said before the kick-off. (AFP) × As they warmed up outside in their tracksuits before the match, the Ittihad team's bright red and black shirts hung on hooks in the changing room. "I can't tell you how it feels to return to the pitch (in Aleppo) after five years," said Ittihad player Omar Hamidi before the game. "My heart's beating so fast," he said, adding that his last game in the city was in 2011. Bakri Turab, another player, said he had "been waiting for this moment for years". Fans cheered as Ittihad took to the field to play their black-clad rivals, with young boys dressed in green looking on from the touchlines. Maher Khayata, deputy head of the general sports union, this week said the game was "a first step towards Aleppo clubs returning to play on home ground, waiting for pitches to be ready". But so far no other game has yet been scheduled in Aleppo. With games played previously all over the country, the Syria League was suspended after the conflict erupted nearly six years ago. In 2012, matches resumed in a reduced format and only in only the regime-held cities of Damascus and Latakia. A National Football Federation official last month said Syria League games would now return to the central cites of Homs and Hama after they were deemed safe. (AFP)

Aleppo: Football fans cheer first home game in five years

Syrian rebel groups have decided to attend peace talks backed by Russia and Turkey in Kazakhstan to press for full implementation of a ceasefire they say has been widely violated by the government and its Iranian-backed allies.

Russia, President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s most powerful ally, set the new diplomatic effort in motion after Syrian rebels suffered a major defeat last month by losing control of districts of eastern Aleppo they had held for nearly four years. The United States, which led failed efforts to launch peace talks last year, has not been involved in the latest diplomacy.

Assad has already said his government is ready to attend the talks. After winning ground with Russian and Iranian military support, he looks stronger than at any point in the war.

The rebels took the decision at meetings underway in Ankara, and are now working to form a delegation that will be headed by Mohammad Alloush, the head of the political office of Jaish al-Islam rebel group, Alloush said. He said the rebels were going to Astana to &quot;neutralise the criminal role&quot; of Iran.

Analysts believe the rebels have been under pressure from Turkey, one of their main sponsors, to attend. Earlier this month, they called off any talks on their participation in the Astana meeting over what they said were government violations of a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey. Turkey&#39;s priorities in Syria appear to have shifted away from toppling Assad to combating Kurdish groups and Islamic State in areas of northern Syria near its border. Turkey&#39;s ties with Russia have also improved in recent months.

&quot;The factions will go and the first thing they will discuss will be the matter of the ceasefire and the violations by the regime,&quot; said an official in a Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel group who declined to be identified because the groups had yet to appoint a spokesman. &quot;This will be a test for the Russians as the guarantor,&quot; he said.

A second official, Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group, said: &quot;The majority of the groups decided to attend. Discussions will be on the ceasefire - the humanitarian issues - aid deliveries, release of detainees.&quot;

The rebel groups would reject any discussion of broader political issues at the Astana talks, the rebel officials said. The talks are scheduled for January 23 in Astana. Turkey&#39;s foreign minister said on Saturday that Ankara and Moscow had decided to invite the United States to attend. A Kremlin spokesman did not confirm it.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed preparations for the talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. As with last year&#39;s peace talks, powerful Kurdish groups that control wide areas of northern Syria are being excluded from the talks in line with the wishes of Turkey. Fighting has continued despite the ceasefire, notably near Damascus where government forces backed by Lebanon&#39;s Hezbollah are trying to recapture a rebel-held area where the capital&#39;s main water supply has been bombed out of service.

Separately, Islamic State, excluded from both truce and talks, has launched its fiercest assault in a year against a besieged government enclave in the city of Deir al-Zor. The rebel groups that will attend the talks include FSA factions fighting in northern Syria, some of them the groups defeated in Aleppo. Alloush&#39;s faction, Jaish al-Islam, is one of the bigger rebel groups, with a strong presence in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus.

The delegation will be different to one sent to peace talks in Geneva last year by the main opposition council, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee. The HNC, which includes political and armed opposition groups, represented the opposition in peace talks last year.

Alloush sits on the HNC, which said on Saturday that it had supported efforts towards the talks in Kazakhstan, and viewed the meeting as a preliminary step for resuming the next round of political negotiations in Geneva. 
Malahifji said the new delegation would be formed in coordination with the HNC, but it would differ from it because &quot;the Russians are focusing very much on the military factions&quot;.

Assad said last week his government was ready to negotiate on &quot;everything&quot; in Kazakhstan, including his own position within the Syrian constitution.

(Reuters)&nbsp;

They will press for full implementation of a ceasefire they say has been widely violated by the government and its Iranian-backed allies

Syrian rebel groups have decided to attend peace talks backed by Russia and Turkey in Kazakhstan to press for full implementation of a ceasefire they say has been widely violated by the government and its Iranian-backed allies. Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally, set the new diplomatic effort in motion after Syrian rebels suffered a major defeat last month by losing control of districts of eastern Aleppo they had held for nearly four years. The United States, which led failed efforts to launch peace talks last year, has not been involved in the latest diplomacy. Assad has already said his government is ready to attend the talks. After winning ground with Russian and Iranian military support, he looks stronger than at any point in the war. The rebels took the decision at meetings underway in Ankara, and are now working to form a delegation that will be headed by Mohammad Alloush, the head of the political office of Jaish al-Islam rebel group, Alloush said. He said the rebels were going to Astana to "neutralise the criminal role" of Iran. Analysts believe the rebels have been under pressure from Turkey, one of their main sponsors, to attend. Earlier this month, they called off any talks on their participation in the Astana meeting over what they said were government violations of a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey. Turkey's priorities in Syria appear to have shifted away from toppling Assad to combating Kurdish groups and Islamic State in areas of northern Syria near its border. Turkey's ties with Russia have also improved in recent months. "The factions will go and the first thing they will discuss will be the matter of the ceasefire and the violations by the regime," said an official in a Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel group who declined to be identified because the groups had yet to appoint a spokesman. "This will be a test for the Russians as the guarantor," he said. A second official, Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group, said: "The majority of the groups decided to attend. Discussions will be on the ceasefire - the humanitarian issues - aid deliveries, release of detainees." The rebel groups would reject any discussion of broader political issues at the Astana talks, the rebel officials said. The talks are scheduled for January 23 in Astana. Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday that Ankara and Moscow had decided to invite the United States to attend. A Kremlin spokesman did not confirm it. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed preparations for the talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. As with last year's peace talks, powerful Kurdish groups that control wide areas of northern Syria are being excluded from the talks in line with the wishes of Turkey. Fighting has continued despite the ceasefire, notably near Damascus where government forces backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah are trying to recapture a rebel-held area where the capital's main water supply has been bombed out of service. Separately, Islamic State, excluded from both truce and talks, has launched its fiercest assault in a year against a besieged government enclave in the city of Deir al-Zor. The rebel groups that will attend the talks include FSA factions fighting in northern Syria, some of them the groups defeated in Aleppo. Alloush's faction, Jaish al-Islam, is one of the bigger rebel groups, with a strong presence in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus. The delegation will be different to one sent to peace talks in Geneva last year by the main opposition council, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee. The HNC, which includes political and armed opposition groups, represented the opposition in peace talks last year. Alloush sits on the HNC, which said on Saturday that it had supported efforts towards the talks in Kazakhstan, and viewed the meeting as a preliminary step for resuming the next round of political negotiations in Geneva. Malahifji said the new delegation would be formed in coordination with the HNC, but it would differ from it because "the Russians are focusing very much on the military factions". Assad said last week his government was ready to negotiate on "everything" in Kazakhstan, including his own position within the Syrian constitution. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels agree to attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

Russia has agreed that the United States should be involved in the talks on Syria&#39;s political future planned to take place in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana later this month, Turkey&#39;s top diplomat has said.

&quot;The United States should be definitely invited, and that is what we agreed with Russia,&quot; foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday told journalists in Geneva after an international conference on Cyprus.

The talks in Astana are expected to take place on January 23.

Russia and Turkey last month brokered a ceasefire in the war-torn country, but without the involvement of the United States, a negotiator in previous ceasefires.

The truce went into effect on December 30 and has brought calm to much of Syria although fighting continues in some areas.

&quot;We need to maintain the ceasefire,&quot; Cavusoglu said in Geneva. &quot;This is essential for the Astana talks,&quot; he said.

The Turkish foreign minister said invitations for the talks were likely to be sent out next week, adding that Washington should be present.

&quot;Nobody can ignore the role of the United States. And this is a principled position of Turkey,&quot; he said. &quot;The ones who did or who could contribute should be there, but not just to be in the family photo. You know what I mean.&quot;

He said the aim of the talks &quot;is to reach the political solution, which is the best solution&quot;.

(AFP)

The talks on Syria's political future is expected to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana on January 23

Russia has agreed that the United States should be involved in the talks on Syria's political future planned to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana later this month, Turkey's top diplomat has said. "The United States should be definitely invited, and that is what we agreed with Russia," foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday told journalists in Geneva after an international conference on Cyprus. The talks in Astana are expected to take place on January 23. Russia and Turkey last month brokered a ceasefire in the war-torn country, but without the involvement of the United States, a negotiator in previous ceasefires. The truce went into effect on December 30 and has brought calm to much of Syria although fighting continues in some areas. "We need to maintain the ceasefire," Cavusoglu said in Geneva. "This is essential for the Astana talks," he said. The Turkish foreign minister said invitations for the talks were likely to be sent out next week, adding that Washington should be present. "Nobody can ignore the role of the United States. And this is a principled position of Turkey," he said. "The ones who did or who could contribute should be there, but not just to be in the family photo. You know what I mean." He said the aim of the talks "is to reach the political solution, which is the best solution". (AFP)

Russia agrees US should attend Syria talks: Turkey

&quot;We are ready to negotiate about everything,&quot; said Syrian President Bashar Al Assad referring to the proposed peace talks in Kazakhstan between his government and the many rebel groups active in the country.&nbsp;

Asked if that included his position as president, he said &quot;yes but my position is linked to the constitution&quot;. He said that whatever change needs to be applied to the constitution it must come after a referendum, giving to Syrians the chance to decide.

It is still unclear when the peace talk will be held and who will sit around the table to negotiate. The decision to held such meeting came shortly after the so called rebels suffered their final defeat in eastern Aleppo.

The peace talks have been pushed forward due to continued accuations of ceasfire violations between the parts.

The anti-Assad &quot;Free Syrian Army&quot; earlier this month said they had frozen any talks due to violations of the ceasefire, chiefly in the city of Wadi Barada near Damascus.

The Syrian army backed by its Lebanese ally Hezbollah has been trying to recapture the Wadi Barada valley where Syria&#39;s capital main water source is located.

According&nbsp;to Assad, the area was held by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, &nbsp;a jihadist group not covered by the ceasefire. &quot;The terrorists occupy the main water source for Damascus, denying more than 5 million civilians water for more than three weeks,&quot; he said. &quot;The Syrian army&#39;s role is to liberate that area,&quot;

Assad said that any discussion of &quot;Syrian issues&quot; must be held between Syrian groups and he pointed out that many of the rebel brigades are funded by foreign powers, specifically Saudi Arabia, France and Britain. He pointed out that the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee, is backed by Riyadh.

&quot;Who will be there from the other side? We do not yet know. Will it be a real Syrian opposition?&quot;, he asked provocatively.

Referring to the campaigning&nbsp;to retake the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital city of the Islamic State, President Assad said that it is his country&#39;s duty to defeat the terrorist organisation.&nbsp;

Currently a numerous militia made of Arabs and Kurds, the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) is fighting to clean and secure the many villages surrounding the city. The People&#39;s Protection Unit (YPG) are the backbone of these forces and have claimed many times to be willing to retain the territories they liberated and fund an autonomous democratic&nbsp;and self-ruled region.

Assad&#39;s project is clear though, &quot;every inch&quot; of Syrian land and all Syria should be under state authority.

(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

He claimed to be ready to even discuss his presidential office if Syrians were willing to vote

"We are ready to negotiate about everything," said Syrian President Bashar Al Assad referring to the proposed peace talks in Kazakhstan between his government and the many rebel groups active in the country. Asked if that included his position as president, he said "yes but my position is linked to the constitution". He said that whatever change needs to be applied to the constitution it must come after a referendum, giving to Syrians the chance to decide. It is still unclear when the peace talk will be held and who will sit around the table to negotiate. The decision to held such meeting came shortly after the so called rebels suffered their final defeat in eastern Aleppo. The peace talks have been pushed forward due to continued accuations of ceasfire violations between the parts. The anti-Assad "Free Syrian Army" earlier this month said they had frozen any talks due to violations of the ceasefire, chiefly in the city of Wadi Barada near Damascus. The Syrian army backed by its Lebanese ally Hezbollah has been trying to recapture the Wadi Barada valley where Syria's capital main water source is located. According to Assad, the area was held by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, a jihadist group not covered by the ceasefire. "The terrorists occupy the main water source for Damascus, denying more than 5 million civilians water for more than three weeks," he said. "The Syrian army's role is to liberate that area," Assad said that any discussion of "Syrian issues" must be held between Syrian groups and he pointed out that many of the rebel brigades are funded by foreign powers, specifically Saudi Arabia, France and Britain. He pointed out that the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee, is backed by Riyadh. "Who will be there from the other side? We do not yet know. Will it be a real Syrian opposition?", he asked provocatively. Referring to the campaigning to retake the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital city of the Islamic State, President Assad said that it is his country's duty to defeat the terrorist organisation. Currently a numerous militia made of Arabs and Kurds, the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) is fighting to clean and secure the many villages surrounding the city. The People's Protection Unit (YPG) are the backbone of these forces and have claimed many times to be willing to retain the territories they liberated and fund an autonomous democratic and self-ruled region. Assad's project is clear though, "every inch" of Syrian land and all Syria should be under state authority. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Syria's President Assad says is ready to negotiate 'everything' in future peace talks with rebels

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with French media to be aired on Monday that his forces are on the road to victory after recapturing the key city of Aleppo last month.

&quot;We do not consider that (retaking Aleppo from the rebels) as a victory because victory will be when we have eliminated all the terrorists,&quot; Assad said, according to a French translation of his remarks provided by France&#39;s RTL television.

&quot;But it is a critical moment in this war because we are on the path to victory.&quot;

Earlier Sunday in Damascus, Assad told visiting French lawmakers that he was &quot;optimistic&quot; about new peace talks planned for later this month in Kazakhstan.

Lawmaker Thierry Mariani said the Syrian president also declared himself willing to negotiate with nearly 100 rebel groups fighting against his government, excluding jihadist organisations.

The talks in Astana are being organised by regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel backer Turkey, following a fragile nationwide ceasefire currently in effect in Syria.

(AFP)

We do not consider retaking Aleppo as a victory because victory will be when we have eliminated all the terrorists, Assad said

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with French media to be aired on Monday that his forces are on the road to victory after recapturing the key city of Aleppo last month. "We do not consider that (retaking Aleppo from the rebels) as a victory because victory will be when we have eliminated all the terrorists," Assad said, according to a French translation of his remarks provided by France's RTL television. "But it is a critical moment in this war because we are on the path to victory." Earlier Sunday in Damascus, Assad told visiting French lawmakers that he was "optimistic" about new peace talks planned for later this month in Kazakhstan. Lawmaker Thierry Mariani said the Syrian president also declared himself willing to negotiate with nearly 100 rebel groups fighting against his government, excluding jihadist organisations. The talks in Astana are being organised by regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel backer Turkey, following a fragile nationwide ceasefire currently in effect in Syria. (AFP)

Syrian forces on road to victory after recapturing Aleppo, says Assad

A ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by rebel supporter Turkey and key regime ally Russia.

The nationwide truce, the first since September, is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakhstan being organised by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran.

The agreement comes a week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s army recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.

On the first day of the ceasefire Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported sporadic violence in the Wadi Barada area, where rebels have cut water supplies to Damascus.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said helicopters carried out raids on rebel positions but it was unclear which side had started the clashes.

Syria&#39;s government had been shelling Wadi Barada before the truce began at midnight as it pushes rebels there to accept a &quot;reconciliation deal&quot; and leave the area.

The forces there include former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, which Syria&#39;s government says is excluded from the ceasefire.

Opposition figures however say the truce applies to all rebel-held territory, even where Fateh al-Sham is present.

Last week, rebels attacked water infrastructure in Wadi Barada and neighbouring Ain al-Fijeh, cutting supplies to the capital.

Four million people in Damascus and its suburbs have now been without water for a week, the UN says.

The clashes in Wadi Barada were the most serious of several isolated incidents of violence since the truce began.

The Observatory reported at least 16 government air strikes across several areas in Hama province in central Syria, but no casualties, but said a person was killed by regime sniper fire in the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.

Tired of war

In rebel-held Idlib province, however, it was quiet and residents expressed hope for respite from the bloody conflict.

&quot;I support the ceasefire... and I support its continuation,&quot; said 31-year-old Ahmed Astify. &quot;Everyone, whether (they are) rebels or regular people, is tired,&quot; he added.

Mohammed, 28, said: &quot;We hope that this will lead to the end of the war.&quot;

Syria&#39;s government and its ally Iran both welcomed the ceasefire deal.

Damascus called it a &quot;real opportunity&quot; to find a political solution to the war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-regime protests in March 2011.

Despite being left out of the process, Washington described the truce as &quot;positive&quot;.

Analysts were cautious but said the involvement of Russia, Iran and Turkey could be important.

Sam Heller, fellow at The Century Foundation, said there was &quot;real interest and urgency&quot; from Moscow and Ankara, but expressed doubts about whether Tehran and Damascus were on board.

&quot;All indications are that Iran and the regime want to continue towards a military conclusion,&quot; he said.

He said renewed fighting in Wadi Barada or Eastern Ghouta could pose major threats to the truce.

Talks in Astana

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he would now reduce Moscow&#39;s military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year.

But he added Russia would continue to fight &quot;terrorism&quot; and maintain its support for the government.

Turkey&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Ankara would continue the operation it began in August targeting the Islamic State group and Kurdish fighters.

Moscow says seven key rebel groups have signed up to the deal, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, but the truce excludes jihadist organisations like IS or Fateh al-Sham.

But Syria&#39;s political opposition and rebels said the truce applied to all parts of the country.

&quot;The agreement includes a ceasefire in all areas held by the moderate opposition, or by the moderate opposition and elements from Fateh al-Sham, such as Idlib province,&quot; said Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the National Coalition opposition body.

Despite backing opposite sides in the conflict, Turkey and Russia have worked increasingly closely on Syria, brokering a deal this month to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo.

They are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start next month in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana.

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would &quot;pave the way for productive talks&quot;, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue next year.

Russia, meanwhile, submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council supporting the ceasefire and the planned peace talks and was hoping for a unanimous vote on Saturday.

Moscow and Ankara say the Astana talks are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them, and want to involve regional players like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.

Washington is conspicuously absent from the new process, but Moscow said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s administration on board once he takes office in January.

(AFP)

A monitoring group reported raids on rebel positions but said it was unclear which side had started the clashes

A ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by rebel supporter Turkey and key regime ally Russia. The nationwide truce, the first since September, is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakhstan being organised by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran. The agreement comes a week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's army recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces. On the first day of the ceasefire Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported sporadic violence in the Wadi Barada area, where rebels have cut water supplies to Damascus. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said helicopters carried out raids on rebel positions but it was unclear which side had started the clashes. Syria's government had been shelling Wadi Barada before the truce began at midnight as it pushes rebels there to accept a "reconciliation deal" and leave the area. The forces there include former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, which Syria's government says is excluded from the ceasefire. Opposition figures however say the truce applies to all rebel-held territory, even where Fateh al-Sham is present. Last week, rebels attacked water infrastructure in Wadi Barada and neighbouring Ain al-Fijeh, cutting supplies to the capital. Four million people in Damascus and its suburbs have now been without water for a week, the UN says. The clashes in Wadi Barada were the most serious of several isolated incidents of violence since the truce began. The Observatory reported at least 16 government air strikes across several areas in Hama province in central Syria, but no casualties, but said a person was killed by regime sniper fire in the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. Tired of war In rebel-held Idlib province, however, it was quiet and residents expressed hope for respite from the bloody conflict. "I support the ceasefire... and I support its continuation," said 31-year-old Ahmed Astify. "Everyone, whether (they are) rebels or regular people, is tired," he added. Mohammed, 28, said: "We hope that this will lead to the end of the war." Syria's government and its ally Iran both welcomed the ceasefire deal. Damascus called it a "real opportunity" to find a political solution to the war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-regime protests in March 2011. Despite being left out of the process, Washington described the truce as "positive". Analysts were cautious but said the involvement of Russia, Iran and Turkey could be important. Sam Heller, fellow at The Century Foundation, said there was "real interest and urgency" from Moscow and Ankara, but expressed doubts about whether Tehran and Damascus were on board. "All indications are that Iran and the regime want to continue towards a military conclusion," he said. He said renewed fighting in Wadi Barada or Eastern Ghouta could pose major threats to the truce. Talks in Astana Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he would now reduce Moscow's military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year. But he added Russia would continue to fight "terrorism" and maintain its support for the government. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Ankara would continue the operation it began in August targeting the Islamic State group and Kurdish fighters. Moscow says seven key rebel groups have signed up to the deal, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, but the truce excludes jihadist organisations like IS or Fateh al-Sham. But Syria's political opposition and rebels said the truce applied to all parts of the country. "The agreement includes a ceasefire in all areas held by the moderate opposition, or by the moderate opposition and elements from Fateh al-Sham, such as Idlib province," said Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the National Coalition opposition body. Despite backing opposite sides in the conflict, Turkey and Russia have worked increasingly closely on Syria, brokering a deal this month to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo. They are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start next month in Kazakhstan's capital Astana. UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would "pave the way for productive talks", but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue next year. Russia, meanwhile, submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council supporting the ceasefire and the planned peace talks and was hoping for a unanimous vote on Saturday. Moscow and Ankara say the Astana talks are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them, and want to involve regional players like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan. Washington is conspicuously absent from the new process, but Moscow said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump's administration on board once he takes office in January. (AFP)

Syria ceasefire: Clashes reported near Damascus despite truce

Syria&#39;s army and key ally Russia on Thursday announced a nationwide ceasefire to take effect at midnight, in a potential major breakthrough after nearly six years of civil war.

The deal was brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, but does not involve Washington, which has negotiated previous ceasefires with Moscow.

The agreement, hailed by Syria&#39;s government as a &quot;real opportunity&quot; to find a political solution to the war, comes a week after the regime recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who announced the deal, said Damascus and the &quot;main forces of the armed opposition&quot; had inked a truce and a document expressing a readiness to start peace talks.

&quot;Several hours ago, the event occurred that we have not only been waiting for but been working so much to hasten,&quot; Putin said in a meeting with his defence and foreign ministers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the agreement as a &quot;historic opportunity&quot; to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions from their homes.

Syria&#39;s army said it would halt all military operations from midnight (2200 GMT on Thursday) and a leading opposition body, the National Coalition, voiced its support for the truce.

Putin said he would also reduce Moscow&#39;s military contingent in Syria that has been flying a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad since last year.

The Kremlin strongman, however, said Russia would continue to fight &quot;terrorism&quot; in Syria and maintain its support for the regime.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said seven opposition groups, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, had signed the deal and those who failed to adhere would be considered &quot;terrorists&quot;.

Erdogan indicated Turkey would press on with its four-month incursion into Syria against Islamic State group (IS) jihadists and Kurdish militia.

Astana peace talks

Syria&#39;s army said the deal did not include IS and the former Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, now rebranded the Fateh al-Sham Front.

That could cause complications in areas like Idlib in northwestern Syria, where Fateh al-Sham is allied with rebel groups that have signed on to the deal.

Syria&#39;s political opposition and rebels confirmed their backing for the truce, saying it applied to all parts of the country.

&quot;The agreement is for all of Syria and contains no exceptions or preconditions,&quot; said Osama Abou Zeid, a legal adviser to rebel groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner.

The agreement comes after Turkey and Russia brokered a deal to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo.

Moscow and Ankara are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start soon in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana.

&quot;Now we need to do everything for these agreements to come into force, for them to work, so that the negotiating teams that have been or are being formed promptly and as soon as possible arrive in Astana,&quot; Putin said.

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would &quot;pave the way for productive talks&quot; in Kazakhstan, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue early next year.

22 killed in rebel areas

Russia and Turkey have both said the peace talks they will supervise are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them entirely.&nbsp;

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia, Turkey and Iran were arranging for the talks and pressing for other key international players to get involved.

Lavrov said Moscow would invite Egypt and try to attract other regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Jordan.

He added Moscow would seek to involve US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s administration once he takes office in less than a month, but the process does not appear to involve outgoing President Barack Obama&#39;s administration.

The US State Department called the ceasefire deal a &quot;positive development&quot; and said it hoped it would lead to fresh negotiations on Syria&#39;s political future.

Abou Zeid confirmed the truce deal was intended to pave the way for new talks in Astana, with the High Negotiations Committee that has represented the opposition at previous negotiations expected to participate.

Turkey has long backed Syria&#39;s opposition, and its relations with Russia soured last year after Ankara shot down a Russian warplane.

But the two countries have worked closely of late on Syria, and Turkey was conspicuously quiet as Assad&#39;s forces retook Aleppo.

In the hours before the ceasefire was to take effect, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, reported at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, were killed in air strikes and artillery fire on rebel-held territory near Damascus.

(AFP)

The deal brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, takes effect at midnight

Syria's army and key ally Russia on Thursday announced a nationwide ceasefire to take effect at midnight, in a potential major breakthrough after nearly six years of civil war. The deal was brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, but does not involve Washington, which has negotiated previous ceasefires with Moscow. The agreement, hailed by Syria's government as a "real opportunity" to find a political solution to the war, comes a week after the regime recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who announced the deal, said Damascus and the "main forces of the armed opposition" had inked a truce and a document expressing a readiness to start peace talks. "Several hours ago, the event occurred that we have not only been waiting for but been working so much to hasten," Putin said in a meeting with his defence and foreign ministers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the agreement as a "historic opportunity" to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions from their homes. Syria's army said it would halt all military operations from midnight (2200 GMT on Thursday) and a leading opposition body, the National Coalition, voiced its support for the truce. Putin said he would also reduce Moscow's military contingent in Syria that has been flying a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad since last year. The Kremlin strongman, however, said Russia would continue to fight "terrorism" in Syria and maintain its support for the regime. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said seven opposition groups, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, had signed the deal and those who failed to adhere would be considered "terrorists". Erdogan indicated Turkey would press on with its four-month incursion into Syria against Islamic State group (IS) jihadists and Kurdish militia. Astana peace talks Syria's army said the deal did not include IS and the former Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, now rebranded the Fateh al-Sham Front. That could cause complications in areas like Idlib in northwestern Syria, where Fateh al-Sham is allied with rebel groups that have signed on to the deal. Syria's political opposition and rebels confirmed their backing for the truce, saying it applied to all parts of the country. "The agreement is for all of Syria and contains no exceptions or preconditions," said Osama Abou Zeid, a legal adviser to rebel groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner. The agreement comes after Turkey and Russia brokered a deal to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo. Moscow and Ankara are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start soon in Kazakhstan's capital Astana. "Now we need to do everything for these agreements to come into force, for them to work, so that the negotiating teams that have been or are being formed promptly and as soon as possible arrive in Astana," Putin said. UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would "pave the way for productive talks" in Kazakhstan, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue early next year. 22 killed in rebel areas Russia and Turkey have both said the peace talks they will supervise are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them entirely. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia, Turkey and Iran were arranging for the talks and pressing for other key international players to get involved. Lavrov said Moscow would invite Egypt and try to attract other regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Jordan. He added Moscow would seek to involve US President-elect Donald Trump's administration once he takes office in less than a month, but the process does not appear to involve outgoing President Barack Obama's administration. The US State Department called the ceasefire deal a "positive development" and said it hoped it would lead to fresh negotiations on Syria's political future. Abou Zeid confirmed the truce deal was intended to pave the way for new talks in Astana, with the High Negotiations Committee that has represented the opposition at previous negotiations expected to participate. Turkey has long backed Syria's opposition, and its relations with Russia soured last year after Ankara shot down a Russian warplane. But the two countries have worked closely of late on Syria, and Turkey was conspicuously quiet as Assad's forces retook Aleppo. In the hours before the ceasefire was to take effect, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, reported at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, were killed in air strikes and artillery fire on rebel-held territory near Damascus. (AFP)

Syria regime, rebels agree nationwide ceasefire

Air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft killed at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a monitor said Wednesday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the civilians were from two families at Hojna in Deir Ezzor, which borders Iraq and is the country&#39;s second biggest province after Homs.

The oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor is almost totally under IS control and has been regularly targeted by a US-led military coalition.

The only part of the eastern province outside of IS control is its capital, which is also named Deir Ezzor and is held by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

IS has carried out a series of attacks across Europe and has been targeted by military offensives on several fronts in Syria and Iraq, where it declared an Islamic &#39;caliphate&#39;&nbsp;in 2014.

In Syria, IS is targeted by warplanes of the US-led coalition as well as Turkey, the Syrian regime and its ally Russia in the northern province of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and its stronghold of Raqa.

(AFP)

Monitors said civilians were from two families at Hojna in Deir Ezzor, Syria's second largest province

Air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft killed at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a monitor said Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the civilians were from two families at Hojna in Deir Ezzor, which borders Iraq and is the country's second biggest province after Homs. The oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor is almost totally under IS control and has been regularly targeted by a US-led military coalition. The only part of the eastern province outside of IS control is its capital, which is also named Deir Ezzor and is held by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. IS has carried out a series of attacks across Europe and has been targeted by military offensives on several fronts in Syria and Iraq, where it declared an Islamic 'caliphate' in 2014. In Syria, IS is targeted by warplanes of the US-led coalition as well as Turkey, the Syrian regime and its ally Russia in the northern province of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and its stronghold of Raqa. (AFP)

Air strikes in eastern Syria claim 22 lives, says monitor

Midnight means lights out in Syria&#39;s Aleppo: as the clock strikes 12, overworked power generators shut off across the city, plunging war-ravaged neighbourhoods and heritage sites into darkness.

It will take many months and millions of dollars to breathe life back into Aleppo&#39;s devastated water, electricity, and transportation networks.

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Four years of fighting have transformed it from Syria&#39;s industrial and commercial powerhouse to a divided and dysfunctional city.

&quot;We sold our vacuum cleaner, what&#39;s the point in having one if we don&#39;t have electricity?&quot; asked Umm Fayez, a housewife who lives in the central district of Furqan.

&quot;It&#39;s been two years since we used our washing machine. We wash everything by hand, but the water is too cold now and I can&#39;t take it any more,&quot; the mother-of-two told AFP, sitting in the dark amid piles of dirty laundry.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad declared full control over Syria&#39;s second city last week, after a landmark evacuation deal ended years of clashes.

Rocket fire, air strikes and shelling partly or totally destroyed more than half Aleppo&#39;s infrastructure and buildings, according to a &quot;preliminary, optimistic evaluation&quot; by local authorities.

Water shortages

The main power station at Safirah to the southeast has been off line for two years because of the fighting.

Aleppo&#39;s residents are forced to rely on noisy generators that supply electricity through a web of thick cables snaking through scarred streets.

But they are shut down at midnight to save diesel supplies.

Umm Fayez&#39;s husband walks home every night from his sweetshop using a small torch to guide the way through pitch-black darkness.

&quot;We have two projects that will re-establish electricity to Aleppo,&quot; an electricity ministry official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said new power lines would be laid from the neighbouring province of Hama within a year, but that it would cost more than four billion Syrian pounds, or about $8 million (7.6 million euros).

Residents are also impatient for water shortages to end, with the main pumping station currently operating at just a third of its capacity.

&quot;We can only pump water to 20 per cent of Aleppo. Before the crisis, it was 70 per cent,&quot; said Issa Korj, chief mechanic at the Suleiman al-Halabi water plant.

He said it would take &quot;many months&quot; to repair the facility, but even then, water provision was likely to remain a problem for residents.

Most of the water pumped to Aleppo comes from the Euphrates Dam in the adjacent province of Raqa, which is held by the Islamic State jihadist group.&nbsp;

&quot;They regularly cut off the water,&quot; said Fakher Hamdo, who heads Aleppo&#39;s water administration.

He added that global economic sanctions imposed on Syria since 2011 make spare parts nearly impossible to import.

&#39;Aleppo is one&#39;&nbsp; 
But before any major rebuilding projects can begin, local authorities must clear away barricades and sand berms that had divided Aleppo between the rebel-controlled east and the government-held west.

Bulldozers can already be seen in the bombed-out streets, clearing rubble and dismantling metal barriers.

&quot;The municipality immediately mobilised to open up the main thoroughfares,&quot; said city administrator Nadim Rahmoun.

&quot;Opening up the roads will allow us to pump life back into the city with economic and social activity and public services,&quot; he added.

Aleppo&#39;s Old City, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site -- is at the heart of this effort.

The district witnessed some of the most brutal moments of the battle for Aleppo, and restoring its celebrated buildings will pose major challenges.

Municipal teams are carefully sorting through the rubble, setting aside original centuries-old stonework that will be used in the restoration.

In the nearby district of Aqyul, Abduljawad Najed, 32, had to negotiate heaps of sand to check on his brother&#39;s house.&nbsp;

&quot;It took more than an hour and a half,&quot; he said.

After the barricades were cleared, the same journey took Najed 10 minutes.

&quot;Things were much easier and I was able to come by car,&quot; he said, loading some household effects into his small pick-up.

Najed&#39;s enthusiasm was shared by furniture store owner Zakariya, 42.

&quot;Thank God, all the roads are now linked together. Aleppo is one again,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

Four years of fighting have transformed it from Syria's industrial and commercial powerhouse to a divided and dysfunctional city

Midnight means lights out in Syria's Aleppo: as the clock strikes 12, overworked power generators shut off across the city, plunging war-ravaged neighbourhoods and heritage sites into darkness. It will take many months and millions of dollars to breathe life back into Aleppo's devastated water, electricity, and transportation networks. We sold our vacuum cleaner, what's the point in having one if we don't have electricity?' asked Umm Fayez, a housewife who lives in the central district of Furqan × Four years of fighting have transformed it from Syria's industrial and commercial powerhouse to a divided and dysfunctional city. "We sold our vacuum cleaner, what's the point in having one if we don't have electricity?" asked Umm Fayez, a housewife who lives in the central district of Furqan. "It's been two years since we used our washing machine. We wash everything by hand, but the water is too cold now and I can't take it any more," the mother-of-two told AFP, sitting in the dark amid piles of dirty laundry. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad declared full control over Syria's second city last week, after a landmark evacuation deal ended years of clashes. Rocket fire, air strikes and shelling partly or totally destroyed more than half Aleppo's infrastructure and buildings, according to a "preliminary, optimistic evaluation" by local authorities. Water shortages The main power station at Safirah to the southeast has been off line for two years because of the fighting. Aleppo's residents are forced to rely on noisy generators that supply electricity through a web of thick cables snaking through scarred streets. But they are shut down at midnight to save diesel supplies. Umm Fayez's husband walks home every night from his sweetshop using a small torch to guide the way through pitch-black darkness. "We have two projects that will re-establish electricity to Aleppo," an electricity ministry official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said new power lines would be laid from the neighbouring province of Hama within a year, but that it would cost more than four billion Syrian pounds, or about $8 million (7.6 million euros). Residents are also impatient for water shortages to end, with the main pumping station currently operating at just a third of its capacity. "We can only pump water to 20 per cent of Aleppo. Before the crisis, it was 70 per cent," said Issa Korj, chief mechanic at the Suleiman al-Halabi water plant. He said it would take "many months" to repair the facility, but even then, water provision was likely to remain a problem for residents. Most of the water pumped to Aleppo comes from the Euphrates Dam in the adjacent province of Raqa, which is held by the Islamic State jihadist group. "They regularly cut off the water," said Fakher Hamdo, who heads Aleppo's water administration. He added that global economic sanctions imposed on Syria since 2011 make spare parts nearly impossible to import. 'Aleppo is one' But before any major rebuilding projects can begin, local authorities must clear away barricades and sand berms that had divided Aleppo between the rebel-controlled east and the government-held west. Bulldozers can already be seen in the bombed-out streets, clearing rubble and dismantling metal barriers. "The municipality immediately mobilised to open up the main thoroughfares," said city administrator Nadim Rahmoun. "Opening up the roads will allow us to pump life back into the city with economic and social activity and public services," he added. Aleppo's Old City, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site -- is at the heart of this effort. The district witnessed some of the most brutal moments of the battle for Aleppo, and restoring its celebrated buildings will pose major challenges. Municipal teams are carefully sorting through the rubble, setting aside original centuries-old stonework that will be used in the restoration. In the nearby district of Aqyul, Abduljawad Najed, 32, had to negotiate heaps of sand to check on his brother's house. "It took more than an hour and a half," he said. After the barricades were cleared, the same journey took Najed 10 minutes. "Things were much easier and I was able to come by car," he said, loading some household effects into his small pick-up. Najed's enthusiasm was shared by furniture store owner Zakariya, 42. "Thank God, all the roads are now linked together. Aleppo is one again," he said. (AFP)

Aleppo: The massive task of rebuilding a shattered city

Turkey and Russia have agreed a ceasefire for all of Syria that should come into force at midnight, Turkish state media said Wednesday, but rebel groups said no such official truce had been agreed.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the plan aims to expand a ceasefire in the city of Aleppo -- brokered by Turkey and Russia earlier this month to allow the evacuation of civilians -- to the whole country.

If successful, the plan would form the basis of upcoming political negotiations between the Damascus regime and the opposition, overseen by Russia and Turkey in the Kazakh capital Astana, it added.

But in a speech in Ankara after the report was published, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made no reference to the plan, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he could not answer on an issue &quot;about which I don&#39;t have enough information.&quot;

A Syrian rebel source, who asked not to be named, told AFP in Beirut that details still had to be submitted to opposition fighters and said there was no agreement&nbsp;yet.

&quot;The armed revolutionary factions have not received any official proposal for a ceasefire in Syria,&quot; Labib Nahhas, head of foreign relations for the powerful Ahrar al-Sham rebel group added on his official Twitter account.

&quot;News talking about their approval of a ceasefire is incorrect.&quot;

&nbsp;Anadolu said both sides were working for it to come into force at midnight but gave no further details.

Heading to Astana?

Ankara and Moscow have been on opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, with Turkey seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia and Iran.

But the two countries have recently started to cooperate more closely on Syria, especially after a deal in the summer to normalise ties battered by Turkey&#39;s shooting down of a Russian warplane last year.

Turkey remained conspicuously quiet as Assad&#39;s forces, backed by Russia, took control last week of Aleppo in the biggest defeat so far for the rebels in the civil war. Ankara has also hosted a succession of closed door talks between Russia and Syrian opposition rebels over the last weeks&nbsp;

Qatar-based channel Al-Jazeera said a new meeting is planned on Thursday in Ankara, this time between military representatives of Syrian rebels and Russia.

No date has yet been set for the Astana talks and Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the meeting was still at the planning stage. She emphasised that the talks were not intended to replace the peace process based in Geneva which has sought to find a solution for the Syrian conflict.

But the direct involvement of Turkey and Russia comes as Erdogan is increasingly expressing impatience at the role of the United States in Syria. Previous ceasefire plans had been brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. They met with only temporary success and failed to lead to a solution for the conflict.

It remains unclear how the latest ceasefire plan will apply to Fateh al-Sham, formerly the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, which has worked more closely with the rebels since changing its name.

&nbsp;&#39;Considerable misinformation&#39; 
 
Erdogan had on Tuesday launched one of his most bitter attacks yet on US and Western policy in Syria, which he said was marked by broken promises.

He accused the West of not just supporting Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a &quot;terror group&quot; but even Islamic State (IS) jihadists. The Turkish strongman said the West was failing to back Turkey&#39;s own incursion inside Syria in support of pro-Ankara fighters to oust IS from the border area, which has taken increasing casualties in recent weeks.

But in an angry statement, the US embassy in Ankara rejected the &quot;considerable misinformation circulating in Turkish media&quot; about US operations against IS in Syria.

&quot;Assertions the United States government is supporting Daesh (IS) are not true,&quot; it added. In continued bloodshed, air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft killed at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, in a village held by IS in Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syria&#39;s conflict began in 2011 as an uprising against Assad but quickly morphed into a civil war after the regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against dissent.

The war has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions more to flee their homes. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The ceasefire plan should come into force this evening at midnight, the state-run Anadolu news agency said

Turkey and Russia have agreed a ceasefire for all of Syria that should come into force at midnight, Turkish state media said Wednesday, but rebel groups said no such official truce had been agreed. The state-run Anadolu news agency said the plan aims to expand a ceasefire in the city of Aleppo -- brokered by Turkey and Russia earlier this month to allow the evacuation of civilians -- to the whole country. If successful, the plan would form the basis of upcoming political negotiations between the Damascus regime and the opposition, overseen by Russia and Turkey in the Kazakh capital Astana, it added. But in a speech in Ankara after the report was published, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made no reference to the plan, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he could not answer on an issue "about which I don't have enough information." A Syrian rebel source, who asked not to be named, told AFP in Beirut that details still had to be submitted to opposition fighters and said there was no agreement yet. "The armed revolutionary factions have not received any official proposal for a ceasefire in Syria," Labib Nahhas, head of foreign relations for the powerful Ahrar al-Sham rebel group added on his official Twitter account. "News talking about their approval of a ceasefire is incorrect." Anadolu said both sides were working for it to come into force at midnight but gave no further details. Heading to Astana? Ankara and Moscow have been on opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, with Turkey seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia and Iran. But the two countries have recently started to cooperate more closely on Syria, especially after a deal in the summer to normalise ties battered by Turkey's shooting down of a Russian warplane last year. Turkey remained conspicuously quiet as Assad's forces, backed by Russia, took control last week of Aleppo in the biggest defeat so far for the rebels in the civil war. Ankara has also hosted a succession of closed door talks between Russia and Syrian opposition rebels over the last weeks Qatar-based channel Al-Jazeera said a new meeting is planned on Thursday in Ankara, this time between military representatives of Syrian rebels and Russia. No date has yet been set for the Astana talks and Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the meeting was still at the planning stage. She emphasised that the talks were not intended to replace the peace process based in Geneva which has sought to find a solution for the Syrian conflict. But the direct involvement of Turkey and Russia comes as Erdogan is increasingly expressing impatience at the role of the United States in Syria. Previous ceasefire plans had been brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. They met with only temporary success and failed to lead to a solution for the conflict. It remains unclear how the latest ceasefire plan will apply to Fateh al-Sham, formerly the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, which has worked more closely with the rebels since changing its name. 'Considerable misinformation' Erdogan had on Tuesday launched one of his most bitter attacks yet on US and Western policy in Syria, which he said was marked by broken promises. He accused the West of not just supporting Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a "terror group" but even Islamic State (IS) jihadists. The Turkish strongman said the West was failing to back Turkey's own incursion inside Syria in support of pro-Ankara fighters to oust IS from the border area, which has taken increasing casualties in recent weeks. But in an angry statement, the US embassy in Ankara rejected the "considerable misinformation circulating in Turkish media" about US operations against IS in Syria. "Assertions the United States government is supporting Daesh (IS) are not true," it added. In continued bloodshed, air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft killed at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, in a village held by IS in Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Syria's conflict began in 2011 as an uprising against Assad but quickly morphed into a civil war after the regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against dissent. The war has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions more to flee their homes. (AFP)

Turkey, Russia agree on ceasefire plan for all of Syria, rebels say no official truce yet

Syrian rebels shelled Aleppo and air strikes resumed around the city on Friday as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies said the insurgents&#39; withdrawal from the city could pave the way towards a political solution for the country.

A day after the last rebels left their remaining pocket of territory in the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in its southwestern al-Hamdaniya district.

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The Observatory said six people, including two children, were killed. State television said at least three people died.

Insurgents seeking to oust Assad have shelled government-controlled areas of Aleppo throughout the conflict, which began in 2011. The destruction in those parts of the city has been far less than in eastern districts rebels held until this month.

Air strikes resumed in rebel-held areas of the countryside near Aleppo on Friday for the first time since the end of the evacuation operation.

Strikes hit to the west, south-west and south of the city, areas which had not been hit for at least a week. The Britain-based Observatory had no information on casualties yet.

After months of bombardment and a final few weeks of intense air strikes and Syrian army advances on the besieged, rebel-held part of Aleppo, a local ceasefire was reached on Dec. 15 which allowed thousand of civilians and then fighters to leave.

The last left the city late on Thursday for countryside immediately to the west. The International Committee of the Red Cross said about 35,000 people, mostly civilians, had departed.

Many of those who left are living as refugees in the areas to the west and south of Aleppo, including in Idlib province where bulldozers were used to clear heavy snowfall on Friday morning, the opposition Orient television showed.

On Friday, the army and its allies, including Lebanese group Hezbollah, searched districts abandoned by the rebels, to clear them of mines and other dangers, the Observatory reported.

State television showed empty streets lined with apartment blocks smashed by air strikes in the al-Ansari district.

Damascus water cut

In the capital Damascus, the water authority has been forced to cut supplies coming into the Syrian capital for a few days and use reserves instead after rebels polluted the water with diesel, it said on Friday.

The al-Fija spring which supplies Damascus with water is in the rebel-held Wadi Barada valley north-west of the capital in a mountainous area near the Lebanese border.

The government controls much of the surrounding territory and on Friday carried out aerial attacks and shelled the rebel-held area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

A military news outlet run by Hezbollah said the rebels in the valley had refused to leave the area and the Syrian Arab Army began an offensive against them on Friday morning.

Through a series of so-called settlement agreements and army offensives, the Syrian government, backed by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, has been steadily suppressing armed opposition around the capital.

Peace talks?

During the long struggle to re-take Aleppo, Assad&#39;s forces were supported by heavy Russian air strikes, Iran-backed militias and fighters from Iran-backed Shi&#39;ite Hezbollah.

On Friday, Assad thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for having been Syria&#39;s main partner in the battle&nbsp;and said the city&#39;s fall had opened the door to a political process.

Putin said Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad had agreed the Kazakh capital of Astana should be the venue for new peace negotiations, and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the defeat of the rebels in the city could pave the way to a political solution.

Turkey backs rebels fighting Assad and Islamic State.

United Nations-backed peace talks in Geneva broke down earlier this year as violence escalated, particularly around Aleppo.

(Reuters)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six people, including two children, were killed

Syrian rebels shelled Aleppo and air strikes resumed around the city on Friday as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies said the insurgents' withdrawal from the city could pave the way towards a political solution for the country. A day after the last rebels left their remaining pocket of territory in the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in its southwestern al-Hamdaniya district. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - a war monitor based in Britain - said about 10 shells fell in east Aleppo's al-Hamdaniya district × The Observatory said six people, including two children, were killed. State television said at least three people died. Insurgents seeking to oust Assad have shelled government-controlled areas of Aleppo throughout the conflict, which began in 2011. The destruction in those parts of the city has been far less than in eastern districts rebels held until this month. Air strikes resumed in rebel-held areas of the countryside near Aleppo on Friday for the first time since the end of the evacuation operation. Strikes hit to the west, south-west and south of the city, areas which had not been hit for at least a week. The Britain-based Observatory had no information on casualties yet. After months of bombardment and a final few weeks of intense air strikes and Syrian army advances on the besieged, rebel-held part of Aleppo, a local ceasefire was reached on Dec. 15 which allowed thousand of civilians and then fighters to leave. The last left the city late on Thursday for countryside immediately to the west. The International Committee of the Red Cross said about 35,000 people, mostly civilians, had departed. Many of those who left are living as refugees in the areas to the west and south of Aleppo, including in Idlib province where bulldozers were used to clear heavy snowfall on Friday morning, the opposition Orient television showed. On Friday, the army and its allies, including Lebanese group Hezbollah, searched districts abandoned by the rebels, to clear them of mines and other dangers, the Observatory reported. State television showed empty streets lined with apartment blocks smashed by air strikes in the al-Ansari district. Damascus water cut In the capital Damascus, the water authority has been forced to cut supplies coming into the Syrian capital for a few days and use reserves instead after rebels polluted the water with diesel, it said on Friday. The al-Fija spring which supplies Damascus with water is in the rebel-held Wadi Barada valley north-west of the capital in a mountainous area near the Lebanese border. The government controls much of the surrounding territory and on Friday carried out aerial attacks and shelled the rebel-held area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A military news outlet run by Hezbollah said the rebels in the valley had refused to leave the area and the Syrian Arab Army began an offensive against them on Friday morning. Through a series of so-called settlement agreements and army offensives, the Syrian government, backed by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, has been steadily suppressing armed opposition around the capital. Peace talks? During the long struggle to re-take Aleppo, Assad's forces were supported by heavy Russian air strikes, Iran-backed militias and fighters from Iran-backed Shi'ite Hezbollah. On Friday, Assad thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for having been Syria's main partner in the battle and said the city's fall had opened the door to a political process. Putin said Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad had agreed the Kazakh capital of Astana should be the venue for new peace negotiations, and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the defeat of the rebels in the city could pave the way to a political solution. Turkey backs rebels fighting Assad and Islamic State. United Nations-backed peace talks in Geneva broke down earlier this year as violence escalated, particularly around Aleppo. (Reuters)

Syria rebels shell Aleppo, air strikes resume

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Syria&#39;s Bashar al-Assad Friday to congratulate him on completing the &quot;liberation&quot; of Aleppo, the Kremlin said.

&quot;Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and congratulated him with the end of the operation of liberation of Aleppo from fighters,&quot; it said in a statement.

&quot;This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria,&quot; it said.

Putin last called Assad in March, according to the Kremlin.

The statement added that Putin &quot;underlined that the main task remains to focus efforts on issues pertaining to the... resolution of the Syrian crisis&quot;.

Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo&#39;s recapture, calling it a &quot;very important part of the normalisation in Syria&quot;, saying the next step would be &quot;conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria&#39;s territory&quot;.

The Kremlin strongman said at his annual press conference Friday that Russia wanted ceasefire talks to take place in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana, as the location had already been approved by Assad as well as the leaders of the other power brokers in the Syrian conflict -- Iran and Turkey.

(AFP)

Russia and the Syrian regime were successful in defeating US-backed rebels from east Aleppo

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Syria's Bashar al-Assad Friday to congratulate him on completing the "liberation" of Aleppo, the Kremlin said. "Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and congratulated him with the end of the operation of liberation of Aleppo from fighters," it said in a statement. "This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria," it said. Putin last called Assad in March, according to the Kremlin. The statement added that Putin "underlined that the main task remains to focus efforts on issues pertaining to the... resolution of the Syrian crisis". Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo's recapture, calling it a "very important part of the normalisation in Syria", saying the next step would be "conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria's territory". The Kremlin strongman said at his annual press conference Friday that Russia wanted ceasefire talks to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, as the location had already been approved by Assad as well as the leaders of the other power brokers in the Syrian conflict -- Iran and Turkey. (AFP)

Putin calls Syria's Assad to congratulate on Aleppo success

In 1945, West Germany was 400 million cubic metres of rubble. Almost 80 per cent of historical buildings in the main cities of Germany were levelled, some were restored later and some lost forever. The trains were not working, not enough food, and almost 70 per cent of the houses were destroyed, forcing people to stay in refugee camps once the war ended. Many men&nbsp;died in the&nbsp;war, severely impacting the labour force required to rebuild the country.&nbsp;

It is difficult to peg the exact economic cost of&nbsp;rebuilding Germany after the war, but the Marshall Plan, also known as&nbsp;the European Recovery Project, gives a partial figure. Beginning in 1949, the Marshall Plan provided $1.4 billion to Germany to&nbsp;promote&nbsp;economic recovery. According to a 2006 report by the Federation of American Scientists, the United States provided financial assistance to Germany for rebuilding its cities from 1946-1952, an amount equivalent to $29.3 billion, as per dollar conversion rates in 2005.&nbsp;

The reconstruction of&nbsp;Germany lasted up to the 1980s &mdash; almost 35 years. Even as late as the 2000s, certain parts of Germany were still being rebuilt, with&nbsp;Berlin having maximum damages.&nbsp;

It takes centuries for an economy to evolve. People from other countries migrate, and settle in a country, bringing new traits of commerce with them. With time&nbsp;these traits become a part of the settled country,&nbsp;enriching its economy, and building it further. Several civilisations contribute to building a country, its economy, and help it reach where it stands at a given point of time.

But&nbsp;one war disrupts it all and sets a country back by generations. In September 2012, Syrian government forces shelled the rebel forces, bankrupting 40,000 traders in the city of Aleppo overnight. &nbsp; &nbsp;

For the past five&nbsp;years, Syria has been witnessing war between&nbsp;Islamic militants and&nbsp;government forces. The population, as well as the GDP (gross domestic product) of&nbsp;Syria, has shrunk miserably since the inception of war, with the maximum damage being borne by the manufacturing and crude oil sectors. According to the data released by the Syrian government, the Syrian pound has lost about 80 per cent&nbsp;of its value since the conflict began.

In February 2016, Syrian President Bashar Assad put the estimated economic loss to Syria from war at $200 billion. According to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, rebuilding war-ravaged Syria may cost as much as $180 billion.

Aleppo, once envied for its trade and commerce, is now reduced to rubble. A World Bank-led preliminary assessment of damage in six cities of Syria &mdash; Aleppo, Dar&#39;a, Hama, Homs, Idlib, and Latakia &mdash; over seven sectors &mdash; housing, health, education, energy, water and sanitation, transport and agriculture &mdash; estimated a cost-of-repair bill of $ 3.6 billion to $4.5 billion as of 2014-end. &nbsp;

Even the countries bordering Syria such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and&nbsp;Egypt are suffering from the spillover effects of war. The World Bank estimates that the influx of more than 630,000 Syrian refugees has cost Jordan over $2.5 billion a year. This amounts to 6 per cent of Jordan&#39;s GDP and one-fourth of its government&rsquo;s annual revenue.

War is the greatest negative disruptor for any economy making all its growth over the years futile. War does not end in a day or even a year. It continues for several years and puts the economy in a freeze. Post World War II, it took 35 years and several billion dollars to rebuild Germany, Syria has a tougher road ahead. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(WION)

From Berlin in WW II to Aleppo, the economic cost of armed conflict, putting aside the human toll, should be enough to end war

In 1945, West Germany was 400 million cubic metres of rubble. Almost 80 per cent of historical buildings in the main cities of Germany were levelled, some were restored later and some lost forever. The trains were not working, not enough food, and almost 70 per cent of the houses were destroyed, forcing people to stay in refugee camps once the war ended. Many men died in the war, severely impacting the labour force required to rebuild the country. It is difficult to peg the exact economic cost of rebuilding Germany after the war, but the Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Project, gives a partial figure. Beginning in 1949, the Marshall Plan provided $1.4 billion to Germany to promote economic recovery. According to a 2006 report by the Federation of American Scientists, the United States provided financial assistance to Germany for rebuilding its cities from 1946-1952, an amount equivalent to $29.3 billion, as per dollar conversion rates in 2005. The reconstruction of Germany lasted up to the 1980s — almost 35 years. Even as late as the 2000s, certain parts of Germany were still being rebuilt, with Berlin having maximum damages. It takes centuries for an economy to evolve. People from other countries migrate, and settle in a country, bringing new traits of commerce with them. With time these traits become a part of the settled country, enriching its economy, and building it further. Several civilisations contribute to building a country, its economy, and help it reach where it stands at a given point of time. But one war disrupts it all and sets a country back by generations. In September 2012, Syrian government forces shelled the rebel forces, bankrupting 40,000 traders in the city of Aleppo overnight. For the past five years, Syria has been witnessing war between Islamic militants and government forces. The population, as well as the GDP (gross domestic product) of Syria, has shrunk miserably since the inception of war, with the maximum damage being borne by the manufacturing and crude oil sectors. According to the data released by the Syrian government, the Syrian pound has lost about 80 per cent of its value since the conflict began. In February 2016, Syrian President Bashar Assad put the estimated economic loss to Syria from war at $200 billion. According to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, rebuilding war-ravaged Syria may cost as much as $180 billion. Aleppo, once envied for its trade and commerce, is now reduced to rubble. A World Bank-led preliminary assessment of damage in six cities of Syria — Aleppo, Dar'a, Hama, Homs, Idlib, and Latakia — over seven sectors — housing, health, education, energy, water and sanitation, transport and agriculture — estimated a cost-of-repair bill of $ 3.6 billion to $4.5 billion as of 2014-end. Even the countries bordering Syria such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt are suffering from the spillover effects of war. The World Bank estimates that the influx of more than 630,000 Syrian refugees has cost Jordan over $2.5 billion a year. This amounts to 6 per cent of Jordan's GDP and one-fourth of its government’s annual revenue. War is the greatest negative disruptor for any economy making all its growth over the years futile. War does not end in a day or even a year. It continues for several years and puts the economy in a freeze. Post World War II, it took 35 years and several billion dollars to rebuild Germany, Syria has a tougher road ahead. (WION)

War disrupts it all: It will take $180 billion to rebuild Syria

More than 4,000 rebels left Aleppo in recent hours as the evacuation of rebel-held parts of the city nears its conclusion, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday.

&quot;Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo,&quot; said Ingy Sedky, the ICRC&#39;s spokeswoman in Syria.

She said about 34,000 people had now left rebel areas of Aleppo under an evacuation deal that will allow President Bashar al-Assad`s forces to retake control of the city after years of fighting.

The evacuations began last week but were hampered in recent days by heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures.

&quot;The bad weather, including heavy snow and wind, and the poor state of vehicles (many of them had to be towed) mean things are moving much more slowly than expected,&quot; Sedky said.

&quot;The evacuation will continue for the entire day and night and most probably tomorrow. Thousands are still expected to be evacuated.&quot;

(AFP)

The international humanitarian movement said about 34,000 people had now left rebel-held areas of Aleppo under an evacuation deal

More than 4,000 rebels left Aleppo in recent hours as the evacuation of rebel-held parts of the city nears its conclusion, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday. "Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo," said Ingy Sedky, the ICRC's spokeswoman in Syria. She said about 34,000 people had now left rebel areas of Aleppo under an evacuation deal that will allow President Bashar al-Assad`s forces to retake control of the city after years of fighting. The evacuations began last week but were hampered in recent days by heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. "The bad weather, including heavy snow and wind, and the poor state of vehicles (many of them had to be towed) mean things are moving much more slowly than expected," Sedky said. "The evacuation will continue for the entire day and night and most probably tomorrow. Thousands are still expected to be evacuated." (AFP)

4,000 rebels leave Aleppo as evacuation in 'last stages': Red Cross

The Syrian army on Thursday said has full control of &nbsp;Aleppo, the government&#39;s biggest achievement in nearly&nbsp;six years of fighting.

The announcement was made as the last of the rebel fighters were evacuated from the war-torn city.&nbsp;

&quot;The liberation of Aleppo is not only a victory for Syria but also for those who really contribute to the fight against terrorism, notably Russia and Iran,&quot; state news agency SANA quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying on Thursday.&nbsp;

The Syrian government now controls five major cities: Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Damascus, and Latakia.

According to the Red Cross, more than 4,000 rebel fighters have been evacuated during the final stages of the evacuation process.

The loss of east Aleppo is the biggest blow for the rebel fighters since the conflict began in 2011, which left more than&nbsp;310,000 people dead.

However, the evacuation process was met with difficulties, due to heavy snowfall and fall in temperatures..

&quot;Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo,&quot; said Ingy Sedky, the spokeswoman in Syria for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Sedky said about 34,000 people had left rebel areas of Aleppo under the evacuation plan.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

The loss of east Aleppo is the biggest blow to the rebel fighters since the conflict began in 2011, which left more than?310,000 dead

The Syrian army on Thursday said has full control of Aleppo, the government's biggest achievement in nearly six years of fighting. The announcement was made as the last of the rebel fighters were evacuated from the war-torn city. "The liberation of Aleppo is not only a victory for Syria but also for those who really contribute to the fight against terrorism, notably Russia and Iran," state news agency SANA quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying on Thursday. The Syrian government now controls five major cities: Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Damascus, and Latakia. According to the Red Cross, more than 4,000 rebel fighters have been evacuated during the final stages of the evacuation process. The loss of east Aleppo is the biggest blow for the rebel fighters since the conflict began in 2011, which left more than 310,000 people dead. However, the evacuation process was met with difficulties, due to heavy snowfall and fall in temperatures.. "Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo," said Ingy Sedky, the spokeswoman in Syria for the International Committee of the Red Cross. Sedky said about 34,000 people had left rebel areas of Aleppo under the evacuation plan. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Syrian army: Aleppo recaptured after evacuation

Hundreds of rebel fighters and civilians, including small children swaddled in thick blankets, were bused out of war-ravaged Aleppo in heavy snow on Wednesday as the evacuation of former rebel strongholds entered its final phase.

Scenes of buses slowly driving out of Aleppo in a shroud of white offered an evocative finale to what has been one of the most brutal chapters in Syria&#39;s civil war.

The departures from Aleppo pave the way for President Bashar Assad to assume full control there, after more than four years of fighting over Syria&#39;s largest city. It marks the most significant victory for Assad since an uprising against his family&#39;s four-decade rule swept the country in 2011.

The evacuations were set in motion last week after Syria&#39;s opposition agreed to surrender its last footholds in eastern Aleppo. Since then, about 25,000 fighters and civilians have been bused out, according to the United Nations. On Wednesday, buses began evacuating the last rebels and civilians, an estimated 3,000 people.

By nightfall, 25 buses carrying hundreds of people had driven in a rare snow storm from eastern Aleppo to opposition-held areas in the countryside near the city, said opposition activist Ahmad Primo, who was monitoring arrivals at the main drop-off point in the Rashideen district.

The evacuees got off the buses wearing thick jackets and carrying sacks with belongings. One woman dressed in a black robe and face veil carried a small child swaddled in a heavy yellow blanket. A man held a toddler whose face was peeking out from under a blanket shielding him from falling snow.

The opposition&#39;s Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday evening that with the evacuation of the last group of rebels from eastern Aleppo, Assad was in full control, save for a few positions on the western outskirts of the city that were still in rebel hands.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said patients and all those requiring medical care had been evacuated from the last hospital in the city&#39;s east.

Pro-government forces repeatedly struck medical facilities in rebel-held neighborhoods in their push to expel the opposition from Aleppo this year. In November, the UN said it believed there were no more functioning medical facilities in the eastern part of the city. 
Wednesday&#39;s bus movements came after evacuations had been suspended for 24 hours, one of several snags and delays since the first bus convoys left the city last week.

Frequent disagreements have erupted between the rebels and the government, as well as among rebel groups, over compliance with a wider deal that also includes evacuations from two rebel-besieged villages, Foua and Kfarya.

(PTI)&nbsp;

The last rebel fighters and civilians, including small children in blankets, were bused out of war-ravaged Aleppo Wednesday

Hundreds of rebel fighters and civilians, including small children swaddled in thick blankets, were bused out of war-ravaged Aleppo in heavy snow on Wednesday as the evacuation of former rebel strongholds entered its final phase. Scenes of buses slowly driving out of Aleppo in a shroud of white offered an evocative finale to what has been one of the most brutal chapters in Syria's civil war. The departures from Aleppo pave the way for President Bashar Assad to assume full control there, after more than four years of fighting over Syria's largest city. It marks the most significant victory for Assad since an uprising against his family's four-decade rule swept the country in 2011. The evacuations were set in motion last week after Syria's opposition agreed to surrender its last footholds in eastern Aleppo. Since then, about 25,000 fighters and civilians have been bused out, according to the United Nations. On Wednesday, buses began evacuating the last rebels and civilians, an estimated 3,000 people. By nightfall, 25 buses carrying hundreds of people had driven in a rare snow storm from eastern Aleppo to opposition-held areas in the countryside near the city, said opposition activist Ahmad Primo, who was monitoring arrivals at the main drop-off point in the Rashideen district. The evacuees got off the buses wearing thick jackets and carrying sacks with belongings. One woman dressed in a black robe and face veil carried a small child swaddled in a heavy yellow blanket. A man held a toddler whose face was peeking out from under a blanket shielding him from falling snow. The opposition's Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday evening that with the evacuation of the last group of rebels from eastern Aleppo, Assad was in full control, save for a few positions on the western outskirts of the city that were still in rebel hands. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said patients and all those requiring medical care had been evacuated from the last hospital in the city's east. Pro-government forces repeatedly struck medical facilities in rebel-held neighborhoods in their push to expel the opposition from Aleppo this year. In November, the UN said it believed there were no more functioning medical facilities in the eastern part of the city. Wednesday's bus movements came after evacuations had been suspended for 24 hours, one of several snags and delays since the first bus convoys left the city last week. Frequent disagreements have erupted between the rebels and the government, as well as among rebel groups, over compliance with a wider deal that also includes evacuations from two rebel-besieged villages, Foua and Kfarya. (PTI)

Aleppo evacuated in heavy snow

India&#39;s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will undergo kidney transplant at New Delhi&#39;s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Saturday.&nbsp;

Swaraj, who suffers from diabetes was admitted to AIIMS for kidney failure on November 7.&nbsp;

She has been on dialysis for weeks and tweeted about her condition from the hospital.&nbsp;

The minister, who is known for her quick response on Twitter is still reaching out to the public and trying to help.&nbsp;

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Geeta - You have been issued Visa for Australia. <a href="https://t.co/kB3biWWCNu">https://t.co/kB3biWWCNu</a>
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/805655861280411648">December 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
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AIIMS recieved numerous offers to donate a kidney to Swaraj.&nbsp;

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Some friends have also offered their kidneys for my transplant. I have no words to express my deep sense of gratitude towards them.
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/799210118382370816">November 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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(WION with inputs from ANI)

The vote to establish an evidence-gathering body won 105-15, with countries like China, Russia and Iran opposed to the measure

India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will undergo kidney transplant at New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Saturday. Swaraj, who suffers from diabetes was admitted to AIIMS for kidney failure on November 7. She has been on dialysis for weeks and tweeted about her condition from the hospital. The minister, who is known for her quick response on Twitter is still reaching out to the public and trying to help. Geeta - You have been issued Visa for Australia. https://t.co/kB3biWWCNu — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 5, 2016 × AIIMS recieved numerous offers to donate a kidney to Swaraj. Some friends have also offered their kidneys for my transplant. I have no words to express my deep sense of gratitude towards them. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 17, 2016 × (WION with inputs from ANI)

UN to set up Syria war crimes panel

Seven-year-old Syrian blogger, whose heart-rending account of life in war-torn Aleppo drew global attention, met Turkish President&nbsp;Tayyip Erdogan at his palace in Ankara on Wednesday.

Photos circulated by the Turkish government show blogger&nbsp;Bana Alabed hugging Erdogan as she sat on his lap. Bana was accompanied to the palace by her mother Fatemah.

&quot;I was pleased to host @AlabedBana and her family at the Presidential Complex today. Turkey will always stand with the people of Syria,&quot; Erdogan said on his official Twitter account.

While Bana has been praised by people across the world for painting a stricken picture of Aleppo, the Syrian government has accused her and her mother of propaganda.

Bana&#39;s Twiitter account is followed by 352,000 people ever since Bana started uploading images and videos of grisly events she witnessed during the six-year battle of Aleppo.

Turkey is housing 2.7 million Syrian refugees ever since war broke out between the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and fighters backed by the US and other western countries.

However, Turkey has now stopped the influx of refugees, granting permission to only those who are wounded or those with special cases.&nbsp;

More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Photos circulated by the Turkish government show blogger?Bana Alabed hugging President Tayyip Erdogan

Seven-year-old Syrian blogger, whose heart-rending account of life in war-torn Aleppo drew global attention, met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at his palace in Ankara on Wednesday. Photos circulated by the Turkish government show blogger Bana Alabed hugging Erdogan as she sat on his lap. Bana was accompanied to the palace by her mother Fatemah. "I was pleased to host @AlabedBana and her family at the Presidential Complex today. Turkey will always stand with the people of Syria," Erdogan said on his official Twitter account. While Bana has been praised by people across the world for painting a stricken picture of Aleppo, the Syrian government has accused her and her mother of propaganda. Bana's Twiitter account is followed by 352,000 people ever since Bana started uploading images and videos of grisly events she witnessed during the six-year battle of Aleppo. Turkey is housing 2.7 million Syrian refugees ever since war broke out between the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and fighters backed by the US and other western countries. However, Turkey has now stopped the influx of refugees, granting permission to only those who are wounded or those with special cases. More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Seven-year-old Syrian blogger meets Turkey's Erdogan

Syria&#39;s army on Tuesday urged the last remaining rebels and civilians to leave the besieged opposition enclave in Aleppo as it prepares to take full control of the devastated city.

The evacuation of Aleppo&#39;s rebel sector is seen as a pivotal moment in the nearly-six-year war that has killed more than 310,000 people and triggered a major humanitarian and refugee crisis.

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<h5>In east Aleppo on Tuesday, soldiers using megaphones called on the remaining fighters and civilians to exit the opposition districts, a military source said</h5>
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Following a flurry of diplomatic activity, key regime allies Russia and Iran as well as rebel supporter Turkey agreed to act as guarantors in Syria peace talks, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.

They also backed expanding a ceasefire, according to Lavrov, who said the evacuation of east Aleppo should finish within &quot;one or two days&quot;.

At least 25,000 people have left rebel districts of east Aleppo since the operation began last week, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is overseeing the operation.

Thousands more were still waiting to be bused out, spokeswoman Ingy Sedky said.

She said that 750 people had been evacuated in parallel from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority villages in north-west Syria besieged by rebels, as part of the deal.

In east Aleppo on Tuesday, soldiers using megaphones called on the remaining fighters and civilians to exit the opposition districts, a military source told AFP.

&quot;The army is expected to enter (Aleppo) to clean the area after the fighters leave,&quot; the source said.

Buses and ambulances have been bringing rebels and civilians on a tense journey from Aleppo&#39;s battered east into government-held neighbourhoods, and back into rebel-held territory west of the city.&nbsp;

Thousands of people -- mostly women and children -- squeezed onto buses with whatever belongings they could carry, many in tears and others shivering in the cold, according to AFP correspondents who made the trip.

Evacuees must pass several checkpoints manned by either Syrian army soldiers, Russian officers or Iranian and Iraqi fighters.

&quot;Everyone was so cold,&quot; Bashar Babbour, who works with the medical charity UOSSM, told AFP from the staging ground of Khan al-Assal.

He said he saw a shivering old man struggling to get off one of the buses.

&quot;When people are going to the medical assessment teams, most of them ask for food and water, in addition to blankets, especially if they&#39;re arriving at night,&quot; Babbour said.

He said many other evacuees were also asking if there was internet access there so they could contact friends or relatives.

In an area nearby, an AFP correspondent saw hundreds of people aboard eight buses that came from Fuaa and Kafraya.

A rebel fighter who did not want to be named said the buses would be allowed to continue on to regime-controlled territory in Aleppo once a new convoy of evacuees left the city&#39;s rebel enclave.

Sick and wounded

The World Health Organization said the Aleppo evacuees included around 300 needing medical treatment, among them dozens of children.

&quot;The huge majority of these patients have trauma injuries,&quot; spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said, adding that 93 people in critical condition had been referred to hospitals in Turkey.

Aleppo was once Syria&#39;s commercial and industrial hub, but it has been divided since 2012 between government forces in the west and rebel control in the east.

Government forces launched an offensive in mid-November to capture the whole city&nbsp;and had seized more than 90 percent of the eastern half when the evacuation deal was struck.

In a regime-held neighbourhood on the southern edges of Aleppo, an AFP correspondent saw Syrian troops strolling through the area on Tuesday while others gathered around burning tyres to stay warm.

&quot;I hope today is the last day of rebels leaving&nbsp;because we&#39;ve been promised we can go on vacation and rest if the operation ends today,&quot; said Akram, a soldier.

Diplomatic efforts -- including several rounds of peace talks in Geneva -- have failed to make progress in resolving the conflict, which reached a turning point last year when Russia launched an air war in support of Assad.

In a rare show of international unity, the UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution with the backing of Russia to monitor the evacuations from Aleppo.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura also said he hoped to convene new peace talks in Geneva in February.

In a boost to the troubled peace process, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed Tuesday on &quot;the importance of widening the ceasefire, of free access for humanitarian aid and movement of civilians onto Syrian territories&quot;.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile said he had agreed with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call that the assassination of Moscow&#39;s ambassador in Ankara on Monday would not harm cooperation including on Syria.

(AFP)

The evacuation of Aleppo's rebel sector is seen as a pivotal moment in the nearly-six-year war that has killed more than 310,000 people

Syria's army on Tuesday urged the last remaining rebels and civilians to leave the besieged opposition enclave in Aleppo as it prepares to take full control of the devastated city. The evacuation of Aleppo's rebel sector is seen as a pivotal moment in the nearly-six-year war that has killed more than 310,000 people and triggered a major humanitarian and refugee crisis. In east Aleppo on Tuesday, soldiers using megaphones called on the remaining fighters and civilians to exit the opposition districts, a military source said × Following a flurry of diplomatic activity, key regime allies Russia and Iran as well as rebel supporter Turkey agreed to act as guarantors in Syria peace talks, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said. They also backed expanding a ceasefire, according to Lavrov, who said the evacuation of east Aleppo should finish within "one or two days". At least 25,000 people have left rebel districts of east Aleppo since the operation began last week, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is overseeing the operation. Thousands more were still waiting to be bused out, spokeswoman Ingy Sedky said. She said that 750 people had been evacuated in parallel from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority villages in north-west Syria besieged by rebels, as part of the deal. In east Aleppo on Tuesday, soldiers using megaphones called on the remaining fighters and civilians to exit the opposition districts, a military source told AFP. "The army is expected to enter (Aleppo) to clean the area after the fighters leave," the source said. Buses and ambulances have been bringing rebels and civilians on a tense journey from Aleppo's battered east into government-held neighbourhoods, and back into rebel-held territory west of the city. Thousands of people -- mostly women and children -- squeezed onto buses with whatever belongings they could carry, many in tears and others shivering in the cold, according to AFP correspondents who made the trip. Evacuees must pass several checkpoints manned by either Syrian army soldiers, Russian officers or Iranian and Iraqi fighters. "Everyone was so cold," Bashar Babbour, who works with the medical charity UOSSM, told AFP from the staging ground of Khan al-Assal. He said he saw a shivering old man struggling to get off one of the buses. "When people are going to the medical assessment teams, most of them ask for food and water, in addition to blankets, especially if they're arriving at night," Babbour said. He said many other evacuees were also asking if there was internet access there so they could contact friends or relatives. In an area nearby, an AFP correspondent saw hundreds of people aboard eight buses that came from Fuaa and Kafraya. A rebel fighter who did not want to be named said the buses would be allowed to continue on to regime-controlled territory in Aleppo once a new convoy of evacuees left the city's rebel enclave. Sick and wounded The World Health Organization said the Aleppo evacuees included around 300 needing medical treatment, among them dozens of children. "The huge majority of these patients have trauma injuries," spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said, adding that 93 people in critical condition had been referred to hospitals in Turkey. Aleppo was once Syria's commercial and industrial hub, but it has been divided since 2012 between government forces in the west and rebel control in the east. Government forces launched an offensive in mid-November to capture the whole city and had seized more than 90 percent of the eastern half when the evacuation deal was struck. In a regime-held neighbourhood on the southern edges of Aleppo, an AFP correspondent saw Syrian troops strolling through the area on Tuesday while others gathered around burning tyres to stay warm. "I hope today is the last day of rebels leaving because we've been promised we can go on vacation and rest if the operation ends today," said Akram, a soldier. Diplomatic efforts -- including several rounds of peace talks in Geneva -- have failed to make progress in resolving the conflict, which reached a turning point last year when Russia launched an air war in support of Assad. In a rare show of international unity, the UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution with the backing of Russia to monitor the evacuations from Aleppo. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura also said he hoped to convene new peace talks in Geneva in February. In a boost to the troubled peace process, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed Tuesday on "the importance of widening the ceasefire, of free access for humanitarian aid and movement of civilians onto Syrian territories". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile said he had agreed with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call that the assassination of Moscow's ambassador in Ankara on Monday would not harm cooperation including on Syria. (AFP)

Syrian army urges remaining rebels, civilians to leave Aleppo

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