Assad Says Turkey Torpedoed U.N. Aleppo Truce Plan

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Syrian President Bashar Assad accused neighboring Turkey of torpedoing a U.N. plan for a ceasefire with rebels in the second city of Aleppo, in comments published on Friday.

Assad told the Swedish newspaper Expressen that Ankara had used its influence with rebel factions to persuade them to reject the proposals put forward by U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura for a ceasefire in the former commercial hub.

"The Turks told the factions -- the terrorists that they support and they supervise -- to refuse to cooperate with De Mistura," the Syrian president said.

The main Western-backed rebel alliance is based in Turkey.

Assad's regime also accuses Ankara of supporting jihadists with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, who have come to dominate the revolt against his rule since a peaceful uprising in 2011 escalated into armed conflict.

Rebel factions in Aleppo rejected De Mistura's proposals on March 1, saying they could not accept a separate truce that did not cover other war-torn Syrian cities.

It was a major blow for the U.N. envoy appointed in July last year, who had made a halt to the fighting in Aleppo the main focus of his peace efforts.

The city has been devastated by fighting since rebels seized its eastern half in 2012, setting up a front line that carves through its historic heart.

Comments 4
Thumb EagleDawn 17 April 2015, 12:16

"The Turks told the factions -- the terrorists that they support and they supervise -- to refuse to cooperate with De Mistura," the Syrian president said.

Either he was attending the meeting when Turkey told the factions, or the "terrorists" after finishing their meeting with Turkey went straight to him and told him. No other way!

Thumb Mystic 17 April 2015, 13:03

Turkey harbors takfiris and sends them to Syria all the time. Not enough they do not recognize their massacres towards the armenian people, now they support ISIS and Nusra whom does the same sort of genocide today.

Thumb _mowaten_ 17 April 2015, 13:37

There is another obvious way, but you're too dimwitted to figure it out. Ever heard of moukhabarats, electronic surveillance and informants?

Missing humble 17 April 2015, 13:12

The BUTCHER has killed much more people than the Israelis ever did.
He is the No 1 enemy to the arab world.