Moscow, Russia
Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in his first statement since his regime fell, said on Monday (December 16) that his departure to Russia was not “planned”.
Assad said that he was evacuated from Syria to Russia via the Hmeimim base in Latakia province. He added that his departure was coordinated with Russian allies, as he initially intended to remain at the Russian base and continue fighting. However, when the base came under drone attack on the night of December 8, the Russians decided to move him to Russia for his safety. “I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said.
"Moscow requested... an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday December 8," he added.
"When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose," the statement added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-conflict-assad-secretly-airlifted-250mn-to-moscow-before-fleeing-to-russia-report-784382">Assad secretly airlifted $250mn to Moscow before fleeing to Russia: Report</a>
The statement was shared on the former Syrian presidency’s social media accounts and dated 16 December from Moscow. Assad said that he turned to social media to release the statement after “several unsuccessful attempts” to share it through Arabic and international media outlets.
The statement read, “As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached Damascus on the evening of Saturday 7 December 2024, questions arose about the president's fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria.”
Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum.
Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Assad said that he was evacuated from Syria to Russia via the Hmeimim base in Latakia province. He added that his departure was coordinated with Russian allies, as he initially intended to remain at the Russian base and continue fighting.



Moscow, Russia Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in his first statement since his regime fell, said on Monday (December 16) that his departure to Russia was not “planned”. Assad said that he was evacuated from Syria to Russia via the Hmeimim base in Latakia province. He added that his departure was coordinated with Russian allies, as he initially intended to remain at the Russian base and continue fighting. However, when the base came under drone attack on the night of December 8, the Russians decided to move him to Russia for his safety. “I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said. "Moscow requested... an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday December 8," he added. "When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose," the statement added. Also read: Assad secretly airlifted $250mn to Moscow before fleeing to Russia: Report The statement was shared on the former Syrian presidency’s social media accounts and dated 16 December from Moscow. Assad said that he turned to social media to release the statement after “several unsuccessful attempts” to share it through Arabic and international media outlets. The statement read, “As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached Damascus on the evening of Saturday 7 December 2024, questions arose about the president's fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria.” Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum. Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

'Not part of the plan,' Syria's Assad breaks silence, says Russia 'requested' immediate evacuation

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in his first statement since his regime fell, said on Monday (December 16) that his departure to Russia was not “planned”.

Assad said that he was evacuated from Syria to Russia via the Hmeimim base in Latakia province. He added that his departure was coordinated with Russian allies, as he initially intended to remain at the Russian base and continue fighting. However, when the base came under drone attack on the night of December 8, the Russians decided to move him to Russia for his safety. “I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said.

"Moscow requested... an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday December 8," he added.

"When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose," the statement added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-conflict-assad-secretly-airlifted-250mn-to-moscow-before-fleeing-to-russia-report-784382">Assad secretly airlifted $250mn to Moscow before fleeing to Russia: Report</a>

The statement was shared on the former Syrian presidency’s social media accounts and dated 16 December from Moscow. Assad said that he turned to social media to release the statement after “several unsuccessful attempts” to share it through Arabic and international media outlets.

The statement read, “As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached Damascus on the evening of Saturday 7 December 2024, questions arose about the president's fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria.”

Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum.

Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in his first statement since his regime fell, said on Monday (December 16) that his departure to Russia was not “planned”.

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in his first statement since his regime fell, said on Monday (December 16) that his departure to Russia was not “planned”. Assad said that he was evacuated from Syria to Russia via the Hmeimim base in Latakia province. He added that his departure was coordinated with Russian allies, as he initially intended to remain at the Russian base and continue fighting. However, when the base came under drone attack on the night of December 8, the Russians decided to move him to Russia for his safety. “I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said. "Moscow requested... an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday December 8," he added. "When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose," the statement added. Also read: Assad secretly airlifted $250mn to Moscow before fleeing to Russia: Report The statement was shared on the former Syrian presidency’s social media accounts and dated 16 December from Moscow. Assad said that he turned to social media to release the statement after “several unsuccessful attempts” to share it through Arabic and international media outlets. The statement read, “As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached Damascus on the evening of Saturday 7 December 2024, questions arose about the president's fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria.” Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum. Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

The defence ministers of Russia, Turkiye and Syria met in Moscow on Wednesday, the first such talks since a war broke out in Syria. It was also the first meeting between Turkish and Syrian defence ministers since the start of the war in 2011.

Turkiye, Syria, Russia defense ministers meet for first talks since 2011

Syrian government forces have made significant advances in their military push against the last major rebel bastion in the country's northwest

WION Dispatch: Turkey warns Syria's ally Russia

Russia&#39;s defence ministry said Saturday that its officials had signed a deal with moderate Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone near Damascus will function.

&quot;As a result of talks held in Cairo between Russian defence ministry officials and moderate Syrian opposition brokered by the Egyptian side... agreements have been signed on how the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone will function,&quot; the defence ministry said in a statement sent to AFP.

The rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed &quot;de-escalation zones&quot; designated in an agreement reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May.

But the deal has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism for the safe zones.

The most recent talks in Kazakhstan this month between Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to iron out of the details of the four safe zones.

Russia said that the sides have now signed agreements under which &quot;the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation.&quot;

It said the sides had also agreed &quot;routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents.&quot;

Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate the wounded &quot;in the next few days.&quot;

The Eastern Ghouta region is a major rebel stronghold near the capital, and it has been the frequent target of government military operations.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Russia's defence ministry says its officials have signed a deal with moderate Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone near Damascus will function

Russia's defence ministry said Saturday that its officials had signed a deal with moderate Syrian rebels at peace talks in Cairo on how a safe zone near Damascus will function. "As a result of talks held in Cairo between Russian defence ministry officials and moderate Syrian opposition brokered by the Egyptian side... agreements have been signed on how the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone will function," the defence ministry said in a statement sent to AFP. The rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta is in one of four proposed "de-escalation zones" designated in an agreement reached by government allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey in May. But the deal has yet to be fully implemented over disagreements on the monitoring mechanism for the safe zones. The most recent talks in Kazakhstan this month between Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to iron out of the details of the four safe zones. Russia said that the sides have now signed agreements under which "the borders of the de-escalation zone are defined as well as the deployment locations and powers of the forces monitoring the de-escalation." It said the sides had also agreed "routes to supply humanitarian aid to the population and for free movement of residents." Russia said it plans to send in the first humanitarian convoy and evacuate the wounded "in the next few days." The Eastern Ghouta region is a major rebel stronghold near the capital, and it has been the frequent target of government military operations. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Russia says agrees to safe zone mechanism with Syrian rebels

Two Russian warships and a submarine in the Mediterranean have fired missiles at Islamic State group targets in Syria, the defence ministry said today.

It said that Turkish and Israeli military &quot;were informed in a timely manner of the missile launches through communication channels,&quot; but it did not mention the United States. 
 
Russia suspended its communication channel with the US about military operations in Syria from Monday after a US jet shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday, with Moscow accusing Washington of failing to issue a warning.

The defence ministry said in a statement that Russia&#39;s Admiral Essen and Admiral Grigorovich warships and the Krasnodar submarine in the eastern Mediterranean fired six Kalibr missiles at command centres and weapons stores in Syria&#39;s Hama region.

&quot;As a result of the surprise mass missile strike, command points were destroyed and also large stores of weapons and ammunition of the IS terrorists in the area of Aqirbat in the Hama province,&quot; it said. 
 
The ministry added that Russian planes then carried out aerial strikes that &quot;destroyed the remainder of the IS fighters and their facilities.&quot;

The most recent such strikes were announced by the ministry on May 31, aimed at targets around Palmyra.

The defence ministry on Friday said that IS this week has been moving forces into Hama province under cover of night and using large buildings there as command points and weapons stores. It said this was part of attempts to move out from Raqa towards Palmyra.

(AFP)

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Russian naval vessels launched missile strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria&#39;s Hama province, destroying command posts and weapon and ammunition depots (Reuters)
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Two Russian warships and a submarine in the Mediterranean have fired missiles at Islamic State group targets in Syria

Two Russian warships and a submarine in the Mediterranean have fired missiles at Islamic State group targets in Syria, the defence ministry said today. It said that Turkish and Israeli military "were informed in a timely manner of the missile launches through communication channels," but it did not mention the United States. Russia suspended its communication channel with the US about military operations in Syria from Monday after a US jet shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday, with Moscow accusing Washington of failing to issue a warning. The defence ministry said in a statement that Russia's Admiral Essen and Admiral Grigorovich warships and the Krasnodar submarine in the eastern Mediterranean fired six Kalibr missiles at command centres and weapons stores in Syria's Hama region. "As a result of the surprise mass missile strike, command points were destroyed and also large stores of weapons and ammunition of the IS terrorists in the area of Aqirbat in the Hama province," it said. The ministry added that Russian planes then carried out aerial strikes that "destroyed the remainder of the IS fighters and their facilities." The most recent such strikes were announced by the ministry on May 31, aimed at targets around Palmyra. The defence ministry on Friday said that IS this week has been moving forces into Hama province under cover of night and using large buildings there as command points and weapons stores. It said this was part of attempts to move out from Raqa towards Palmyra. (AFP) Russian naval vessels launched missile strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria's Hama province, destroying command posts and weapon and ammunition depots (Reuters) ×

Russia warships and submarine fire missiles at IS targets in Syria

Britain, France and the United States on Wednesday held off calling a vote at the UN Security Council on a resolution demanding an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in&nbsp;Syria.&nbsp;

The western trio called off talks Wednesday as they need more time to negotiate with Russia over the content of the draft resolution.

While the west blames the Syrian regime for the chemical attack in Syria&#39;s Idlib province, Syria and its partner Russia have stoutly denied the accusations.

Moscow, which launched a military intervention in support of the Syrian regime in 2015, has suggested that toxic agents were released after an air strike by the US coalition hit a rebel arsenal.&nbsp;

The Kremlin also rejected the draft resolution framed by the west, saying it was &quot;categorically unacceptable&quot; and &quot;pre-empts the results of an investigation&quot;.

They also threatened to veto the resolution demanding the United Nations to probe the suspected attack.&nbsp;

Moscow came with a contending draft resolution&nbsp;that did not mention any need for Syria to cooperate&nbsp;with a UN inquiry, unnamed diplomats told AFP.

However, French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters that negotiations were being held &quot;in a good spirit&quot; and that &quot;there is a chance&quot; for agreement.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s time for action -- no doubt about it,&quot; he added.

But other diplomats sounded more pessimistic.

Some felt there was an increasing chance of Moscow vetoing the draft resolution.

&quot;It&#39;s not going well,&quot; a council diplomat said.

The draft resolution backs a probe by the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and demands that the Syrian government cooperate to provide information about its military operations on the day of the assault.

But diplomats believe that a vote on the draft text presented by the west could be held as early as Thursday.

British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said he did &quot;not anticipate them (talks) coming to a conclusion today&quot;. But he informed that they would continue negotiating with Russia in the Security Council.

At least 86 people died, including 30 children, in a rebel-held town in Syria&#39;s northwestern Idlib province.&nbsp;

Dozens more were left gasping for air, convulsing and foaming at the mouth, doctors said.

It is thought to be the worst chemical weapons attack in Syria since 2013, when sarin gas was used.

The deadlock arrives on a day when the US threatened to take action against Syria on their own if the UN did not respond to the threat.

&quot;When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action,&quot; US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said.

The deadly attack has also seemingly pivoted the US administration&#39;s Syria agenda.

US President Donald Trump earlier viewed the defeat of Islamic State as being more important than ousting Syria President Bashar al-Assad.

But the Tuesday attack was condemned by Trump as a &quot;terrible affront to humanity&quot;. He also said that the Syrian regime had &quot;crossed a lot of lines&quot; and that his &quot;attitude towards Assad has changed very much&quot;.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The US, Britain and France postpone talks as they need more time to negotiate with Russia over probe into suspected gas attack in Syria

Britain, France and the United States on Wednesday held off calling a vote at the UN Security Council on a resolution demanding an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Syria. The western trio called off talks Wednesday as they need more time to negotiate with Russia over the content of the draft resolution. While the west blames the Syrian regime for the chemical attack in Syria's Idlib province, Syria and its partner Russia have stoutly denied the accusations. Moscow, which launched a military intervention in support of the Syrian regime in 2015, has suggested that toxic agents were released after an air strike by the US coalition hit a rebel arsenal. The Kremlin also rejected the draft resolution framed by the west, saying it was "categorically unacceptable" and "pre-empts the results of an investigation". They also threatened to veto the resolution demanding the United Nations to probe the suspected attack. Moscow came with a contending draft resolution that did not mention any need for Syria to cooperate with a UN inquiry, unnamed diplomats told AFP. However, French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters that negotiations were being held "in a good spirit" and that "there is a chance" for agreement. "It's time for action -- no doubt about it," he added. But other diplomats sounded more pessimistic. Some felt there was an increasing chance of Moscow vetoing the draft resolution. "It's not going well," a council diplomat said. The draft resolution backs a probe by the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and demands that the Syrian government cooperate to provide information about its military operations on the day of the assault. But diplomats believe that a vote on the draft text presented by the west could be held as early as Thursday. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said he did "not anticipate them (talks) coming to a conclusion today". But he informed that they would continue negotiating with Russia in the Security Council. At least 86 people died, including 30 children, in a rebel-held town in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. Dozens more were left gasping for air, convulsing and foaming at the mouth, doctors said. It is thought to be the worst chemical weapons attack in Syria since 2013, when sarin gas was used. The deadlock arrives on a day when the US threatened to take action against Syria on their own if the UN did not respond to the threat. "When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action," US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said. The deadly attack has also seemingly pivoted the US administration's Syria agenda. US President Donald Trump earlier viewed the defeat of Islamic State as being more important than ousting Syria President Bashar al-Assad. But the Tuesday attack was condemned by Trump as a "terrible affront to humanity". He also said that the Syrian regime had "crossed a lot of lines" and that his "attitude towards Assad has changed very much". (WION with inputs from AFP)

Syria chemical attack: UN council vote delayed as talks hit impasse

The top brass of Turkey, Russia and the United States military met Tuesday to increase their coordination in Syria in their fight against Islamic State.

The unprecenedented meeting between&nbsp;Turkish Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov in the southern Turkish city of Antalya comes asthe US-led coalition makes its push to oust IS out of Syria.

Although Russia, Turkey and the US are fighting on the same side, there are doubts and tensions that remain over the involvement of Kurdish militia forces.

Though it ultimately stepped back from its claim, Turkey had threatened to strike Manbij, a former IS bastion, unless the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) deployed there pulled back.

The SDF, seen by the Washington as the most effective anti-jihadist fighting force in Syria, is dominated by Kurdish fighters condemned by Ankara as &quot;terrorists.&quot;

Both Moscow and Washington confirmed the three-way talks in Antalya, with spokesman for the US joint staff Greg Hicks saying in a statement discussions were about &quot;additional measures&quot; for an effective fight against jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq.

&quot;During the meeting the parties discussed regional security matters in Syria and Iraq ... with an effort to wage a more effective fight against all terrorist organisations in the future and the importance of additional measures for de-conflicting operations,&quot; he added.

The Antalya talks are aimed at ensuring better coordination to avoid &quot;the risk of unwanted clashes&quot; as many countries are involved in Syria, Turkish premier Binali Yildirim said.

Speaking in Ankara, Yildirim said Syria needed to be rid of &quot;all terrorist groups&quot; -- including Syrian Kurdish militia and IS jihadists.

&quot;The objective of the meetings today and tomorrow (Wednesday) is how to provide coordination in the best way possible and prevent parties from interfering with each other&#39;s operations and causing unpleasant developments while fighting against terror,&quot; Yildirim said.&nbsp;

The meeting comes a day after Turkey stepped back from threats to unilaterally strike Kurdish militia deployed in Manbij.

&quot;It makes no sense to launch an operation in Manbij without the cooperation of Russia and the United States,&quot; Yildirim said Monday.

His announcement stood in stark contrast to previous threats from Ankara that it would strike the Syrian Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG) unless they withdrew from Manbij.

It came after Russian and Syrian regime forces started to move &quot;humanitarian&quot; convoys into Manbij, making it more difficult for Turkish troops to launch the offensive they had threatened.

The YPG is a key fighting force in the SDF, which spearheaded the victories against IS in the flashpoint towns of Kobane and Manbij.

Ankara believes it is linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK), which seeks greater rights and autonomy for Turkey&#39;s Kurdish minority and has waged a bloody campaign against the Turkish state since 1984.

In a thinly veiled criticism of Washington, the Turkish premier on Tuesday lashed out at &quot;some allies&#39; unfortunate&quot; choice of Syrian Kurdish militia forces as partners in the fight against IS.

Turkey has said it wants to work with its allies to capture the IS de facto capital of Raqa, but has ruled out any operation alongside the Kurdish militia.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Although Russia, Turkey and US are fighting on the same side, there are doubts that remain over the involvement of Kurdish forces

The top brass of Turkey, Russia and the United States military met Tuesday to increase their coordination in Syria in their fight against Islamic State. The unprecenedented meeting between Turkish Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov in the southern Turkish city of Antalya comes asthe US-led coalition makes its push to oust IS out of Syria. Although Russia, Turkey and the US are fighting on the same side, there are doubts and tensions that remain over the involvement of Kurdish militia forces. Though it ultimately stepped back from its claim, Turkey had threatened to strike Manbij, a former IS bastion, unless the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) deployed there pulled back. The SDF, seen by the Washington as the most effective anti-jihadist fighting force in Syria, is dominated by Kurdish fighters condemned by Ankara as "terrorists." Both Moscow and Washington confirmed the three-way talks in Antalya, with spokesman for the US joint staff Greg Hicks saying in a statement discussions were about "additional measures" for an effective fight against jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq. "During the meeting the parties discussed regional security matters in Syria and Iraq ... with an effort to wage a more effective fight against all terrorist organisations in the future and the importance of additional measures for de-conflicting operations," he added. The Antalya talks are aimed at ensuring better coordination to avoid "the risk of unwanted clashes" as many countries are involved in Syria, Turkish premier Binali Yildirim said. Speaking in Ankara, Yildirim said Syria needed to be rid of "all terrorist groups" -- including Syrian Kurdish militia and IS jihadists. "The objective of the meetings today and tomorrow (Wednesday) is how to provide coordination in the best way possible and prevent parties from interfering with each other's operations and causing unpleasant developments while fighting against terror," Yildirim said. The meeting comes a day after Turkey stepped back from threats to unilaterally strike Kurdish militia deployed in Manbij. "It makes no sense to launch an operation in Manbij without the cooperation of Russia and the United States," Yildirim said Monday. His announcement stood in stark contrast to previous threats from Ankara that it would strike the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) unless they withdrew from Manbij. It came after Russian and Syrian regime forces started to move "humanitarian" convoys into Manbij, making it more difficult for Turkish troops to launch the offensive they had threatened. The YPG is a key fighting force in the SDF, which spearheaded the victories against IS in the flashpoint towns of Kobane and Manbij. Ankara believes it is linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which seeks greater rights and autonomy for Turkey's Kurdish minority and has waged a bloody campaign against the Turkish state since 1984. In a thinly veiled criticism of Washington, the Turkish premier on Tuesday lashed out at "some allies' unfortunate" choice of Syrian Kurdish militia forces as partners in the fight against IS. Turkey has said it wants to work with its allies to capture the IS de facto capital of Raqa, but has ruled out any operation alongside the Kurdish militia. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Turkey, Russia, and US draw chart to oust IS out of Syria

Despite repeated setbacks on the path to peace in war-wracked&nbsp;Syria, the United States and Russia will give diplomacy another chance, as Washington convenes international talks in Europe this weekend to try to secure a ceasefire that sticks.

Washington and Moscow, which officially cut off bilateral contact on the issue last week after a truce deal unraveled, on Wednesday announced two days of talks -- in Lausanne on Saturday&nbsp;and in London on Sunday.

The meetings come after&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;was plunged into some of the worst violence it has seen, as government forces backed by Russian airpower push a brutal assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

Fresh air strikes and artillery fire in Aleppo on Wednesday left at least seven people dead, an international monitor said, a day after Russia was accused of stepping up its raids on the city.

They also come with tensions high between Moscow and the West, which has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign.

In the Swiss city, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should be joined by their counterparts from Turkey and Gulf countries.&nbsp;

Lavrov named Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar -- all backers of Syrian opposition forces -- as possible participants. But neither side confirmed an invitation to Iran, a key player in the conflict and an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Then in London, Kerry will likely meet up with his European counterparts -- from Britain, France and Germany.

Both meetings will focus on &quot;a multilateral approach to resolving the crisis in&nbsp;Syria, including a sustained cessation of violence and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries,&quot; the State Department said Wednesday.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin &quot;expressed the hope that the meeting set for October 15 in Lausanne... will be productive and contribute in a concrete way to a resolution&quot; of the conflict, the Kremlin said.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Putin to push for a ceasefire, despite the repeated setbacks.

Lavrov, meanwhile, told CNN in an interview Wednesday that he hoped the weekend talks in Switzerland could help &quot;launch a serious dialogue&quot; based on the now-defunct US-Russian pact.

&quot;We would like to have a meeting in this narrow format, to have a businesslike discussion, not another General Assembly-like debate,&quot; Lavrov said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

No &#39;blackmail&#39;, says Putin

The United Nations said&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;envoy Staffan de Mistura had been invited to take part in the talks but a spokesman said he did not know if he would attend.

Hopes are rather low for a breakthrough to end the five-year conflict that has claimed some 300,000 lives.

The West has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign in Aleppo -- claims Putin dismissed as &quot;political rhetoric.&quot;

Some have even called for punitive measures against Moscow, though French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cautioned against &quot;a cycle of sanctions for the sake of sanctions.&quot;

Russia has responded by bolstering its forces in the war-torn country.&nbsp;

Putin on Wednesday warned Western countries against imposing sanctions, stressing that Russia would not let itself be isolated.

&quot;We should not go down the path of pressure and blackmail but search for compromise,&quot; Putin said at an investment forum in Moscow.

&quot;I have said one hundred times that we are ready to search for these compromises. We would very much like that our partners treat us this way.&quot;

He also placed blame on the West for the dire situation.

&quot;I am deeply convinced that it is our Western partners, first and foremost of course the United States, who are responsible for the situation,&quot; he told France&#39;s TF1 television in an interview broadcast Wednesday.

Papal plea

Putin earlier this week cancelled a long-planned visit to France after Hollande insisted they discuss&nbsp;Syria, and on Wednesday slammed Paris for presenting a UN proposal on Aleppo at the weekend that Russia vetoed.

&quot;They put forward the resolution knowing that it would not pass... in order to incite a veto,&quot; Putin said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Why? It was aimed at inflaming the situation and fanning hysteria around Russia.&quot;

The Lausanne talks will mark the first meeting between Kerry and Lavrov since the two countries froze talks on October 3, after the ceasefire they brokered quickly crumbled.

Washington and Moscow have traded blame in subsequent days, but in fact, the negotiations never really stopped, with Kerry and Lavrov speaking by telephone in recent days.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that for Kerry, the bilateral talks had been suspended but were &quot;not dead.&quot;

Kirby also emphasized the importance of both tracks of talks -- with Russia, which has &quot;the most influence on Assad,&quot; and with other regional players with &quot;influence on other units.&quot;

The United Nations has warned of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Aleppo, saying that the rebel-held territory could be destroyed entirely by the end of the year.

Pope Francis appealed on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire in&nbsp;Syria, calling for &quot;at least&quot; a truce enabling civilians, especially children, to be evacuated, after Aleppo came under fierce air assault.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The decision to resume peace talks comes a week after both the US and Russia had officially cut off bilateral contact on the issue

Despite repeated setbacks on the path to peace in war-wracked Syria, the United States and Russia will give diplomacy another chance, as Washington convenes international talks in Europe this weekend to try to secure a ceasefire that sticks. Washington and Moscow, which officially cut off bilateral contact on the issue last week after a truce deal unraveled, on Wednesday announced two days of talks -- in Lausanne on Saturday and in London on Sunday. The meetings come after Syria was plunged into some of the worst violence it has seen, as government forces backed by Russian airpower push a brutal assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Fresh air strikes and artillery fire in Aleppo on Wednesday left at least seven people dead, an international monitor said, a day after Russia was accused of stepping up its raids on the city. They also come with tensions high between Moscow and the West, which has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign. In the Swiss city, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should be joined by their counterparts from Turkey and Gulf countries. Lavrov named Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar -- all backers of Syrian opposition forces -- as possible participants. But neither side confirmed an invitation to Iran, a key player in the conflict and an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Then in London, Kerry will likely meet up with his European counterparts -- from Britain, France and Germany. Both meetings will focus on "a multilateral approach to resolving the crisis in Syria, including a sustained cessation of violence and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries," the State Department said Wednesday. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin "expressed the hope that the meeting set for October 15 in Lausanne... will be productive and contribute in a concrete way to a resolution" of the conflict, the Kremlin said. French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Putin to push for a ceasefire, despite the repeated setbacks. Lavrov, meanwhile, told CNN in an interview Wednesday that he hoped the weekend talks in Switzerland could help "launch a serious dialogue" based on the now-defunct US-Russian pact. "We would like to have a meeting in this narrow format, to have a businesslike discussion, not another General Assembly-like debate," Lavrov said. No 'blackmail', says Putin The United Nations said Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura had been invited to take part in the talks but a spokesman said he did not know if he would attend. Hopes are rather low for a breakthrough to end the five-year conflict that has claimed some 300,000 lives. The West has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign in Aleppo -- claims Putin dismissed as "political rhetoric." Some have even called for punitive measures against Moscow, though French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cautioned against "a cycle of sanctions for the sake of sanctions." Russia has responded by bolstering its forces in the war-torn country. Putin on Wednesday warned Western countries against imposing sanctions, stressing that Russia would not let itself be isolated. "We should not go down the path of pressure and blackmail but search for compromise," Putin said at an investment forum in Moscow. "I have said one hundred times that we are ready to search for these compromises. We would very much like that our partners treat us this way." He also placed blame on the West for the dire situation. "I am deeply convinced that it is our Western partners, first and foremost of course the United States, who are responsible for the situation," he told France's TF1 television in an interview broadcast Wednesday. Papal plea Putin earlier this week cancelled a long-planned visit to France after Hollande insisted they discuss Syria, and on Wednesday slammed Paris for presenting a UN proposal on Aleppo at the weekend that Russia vetoed. "They put forward the resolution knowing that it would not pass... in order to incite a veto," Putin said. "Why? It was aimed at inflaming the situation and fanning hysteria around Russia." The Lausanne talks will mark the first meeting between Kerry and Lavrov since the two countries froze talks on October 3, after the ceasefire they brokered quickly crumbled. Washington and Moscow have traded blame in subsequent days, but in fact, the negotiations never really stopped, with Kerry and Lavrov speaking by telephone in recent days. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that for Kerry, the bilateral talks had been suspended but were "not dead." Kirby also emphasized the importance of both tracks of talks -- with Russia, which has "the most influence on Assad," and with other regional players with "influence on other units." The United Nations has warned of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Aleppo, saying that the rebel-held territory could be destroyed entirely by the end of the year. Pope Francis appealed on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire in Syria, calling for "at least" a truce enabling civilians, especially children, to be evacuated, after Aleppo came under fierce air assault. (AFP)

West, Russia renew efforts to forge durable Syria ceasefire

Russia-backed Syrian forces&#39; aerial strikes have killed 9,300 people, including 3,800 civilians, in the last one year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based monitoring group had initially pegged the death toll at 10,000 but later revised it to 9,300.

The rest of the dead were fighters affiliated to Islamic State and various rebel factions. More than 2,700 jihadists belonged to IS and about 2,800 fighters were from US-backed rebel groups.

The monitoring group said at least 20,000 civilians were wounded in the Russia-backed onslaught.&nbsp;

The death toll could be higher as people might have died in air strikes by unidentified warplanes, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Medical crisis 
&nbsp;

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have asked the Syrian forces to stop the heavy bombardment on eastern Aleppo, a territory held by the US-supported rebel groups.

&quot;Bombs are raining from Syria-led coalition planes and the whole of east Aleppo has become a giant kill box,&quot; MSF director of operations Xisco Villalonga said.

The crisis has worsened in Aleppo after two hospitals were bombed by the Syrian forces, leaving just six hospitals functional in the city.

The UN has said only 35 doctors remain in the area despite an estimated 250,000 civilians holed up there since early September.

The MNF said the functional hospitals in eastern Aleppo received 278 dead bodies, including 86 bodies of children, between September 21 and 26.&nbsp;

An estimated 822 people were wounded in the six-day period, which saw a wave of air strikes conducted by the Syrian forces.

World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday that 338 people, including 106 children, have been killed in east Aleppo since September 23.

&quot;All intensive care units are full. Patients have to wait for others to die so they can be moved to an available bed in intensive care,&quot; Abu Waseem, manager of an MSF-supported trauma hospital in east Aleppo, warned.

&quot;We only have three operating theatres and yesterday alone we had to do more than 20 major abdominal surgeries,&quot; he said, adding the hospital staff is working up to 20 hours a day.

&quot;Anything short of this is confirmation of what many are dreading, that the world has abandoned the people of Aleppo to a violent, agonising death,&quot; he said.

Moscow ignores US threat 
&nbsp;

Russia has said it will continue its bombing campaign in Syria despite US&#39; threat of walking away from holding peace talks.&nbsp;

The attacks will continue till Aleppo is reclaimed by the Syrian forces, Moscow said.

Syrian forces&#39; offensive in Aleppo escalated after a ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington collapsed earlier this month.&nbsp;

The countries had accused each other of being responsible for the crumbling of the peace deal.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Russia however has said it will continue its bombing campaign in Syria despite US' threat of walking away from holding further peace talks

Russia-backed Syrian forces' aerial strikes have killed 9,300 people, including 3,800 civilians, in the last one year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitoring group had initially pegged the death toll at 10,000 but later revised it to 9,300. The rest of the dead were fighters affiliated to Islamic State and various rebel factions. More than 2,700 jihadists belonged to IS and about 2,800 fighters were from US-backed rebel groups. The monitoring group said at least 20,000 civilians were wounded in the Russia-backed onslaught. The death toll could be higher as people might have died in air strikes by unidentified warplanes, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Medical crisis Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have asked the Syrian forces to stop the heavy bombardment on eastern Aleppo, a territory held by the US-supported rebel groups. "Bombs are raining from Syria-led coalition planes and the whole of east Aleppo has become a giant kill box," MSF director of operations Xisco Villalonga said. The crisis has worsened in Aleppo after two hospitals were bombed by the Syrian forces, leaving just six hospitals functional in the city. The UN has said only 35 doctors remain in the area despite an estimated 250,000 civilians holed up there since early September. The MNF said the functional hospitals in eastern Aleppo received 278 dead bodies, including 86 bodies of children, between September 21 and 26. An estimated 822 people were wounded in the six-day period, which saw a wave of air strikes conducted by the Syrian forces. World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday that 338 people, including 106 children, have been killed in east Aleppo since September 23. "All intensive care units are full. Patients have to wait for others to die so they can be moved to an available bed in intensive care," Abu Waseem, manager of an MSF-supported trauma hospital in east Aleppo, warned. "We only have three operating theatres and yesterday alone we had to do more than 20 major abdominal surgeries," he said, adding the hospital staff is working up to 20 hours a day. "Anything short of this is confirmation of what many are dreading, that the world has abandoned the people of Aleppo to a violent, agonising death," he said. Moscow ignores US threat Russia has said it will continue its bombing campaign in Syria despite US' threat of walking away from holding peace talks. The attacks will continue till Aleppo is reclaimed by the Syrian forces, Moscow said. Syrian forces' offensive in Aleppo escalated after a ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington collapsed earlier this month. The countries had accused each other of being responsible for the crumbling of the peace deal. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Syria: Russian offensive claims 3,800 civilians' lives as country hurtles towards medical doomsday

&nbsp;The United States called on Russia and the Syrian government on Monday to refrain from offensive operations in Syria, as fighting continued on the day US&nbsp;Secretary of State John Kerry hoped a political transition could begin.

Asked if he was dismayed August&nbsp;1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria&#39;s five-year civil war, Kerry said the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence.

However, a &quot;cessation of hostilities&quot; that began in February has now all but unravelled. In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria&#39;s rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board.

&quot;It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations, just as it is our responsibility to get the opposition to refrain from engaging in those operations,&quot; Kerry told reporters.

&quot;These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to&quot; the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. &quot;The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody.&quot;

US&nbsp;officials have suggested that a Russian and Syrian &quot;humanitarian operation&quot; for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad&#39;s rule. 
 
(Reuters)

In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board

The United States called on Russia and the Syrian government on Monday to refrain from offensive operations in Syria, as fighting continued on the day US Secretary of State John Kerry hoped a political transition could begin. Asked if he was dismayed August 1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria's five-year civil war, Kerry said the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence. However, a "cessation of hostilities" that began in February has now all but unravelled. In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board. "It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations, just as it is our responsibility to get the opposition to refrain from engaging in those operations," Kerry told reporters. "These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to" the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. "The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody." US officials have suggested that a Russian and Syrian "humanitarian operation" for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad's rule. (Reuters)

Russia must restrain itself, Assad from offensive Syria strikes: John Kerry

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