BEIRUT: About 10 Syrian rebel groups announced Monday they were suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital Astana, due to “violations” by Damascus of a four-day old truce.
“As these violations are continuing, the rebel factions announce… the freezing of all discussion linked to the Astana negotiations,” they said in a joint statement, referring to talks planned for late January organised by Russia, which supports the Syrian regime.
The rebels said they “respected the ceasefire across the whole of Syria .. but the regime and its allies have not stopped shooting and have launched major and frequent violations, notably in the (rebel) regions of Wadi Barada and Eastern Ghouta”, both in the province of Damascus, they said.
“Despite repeated questions put to the regime’s backer,” Russia, “these violations continue, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people,” said the statement.
