The exchange of accusations
On Monday the participating countries of the truce in Syria during the whole day, exchanged accusations of disrupting the ceasefire. Swordplay began Sunday with a statement by the foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir. He accused Moscow and Damascus in violation of the agreements. Later to join the statements of the representatives of the Free Syrian army. In a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General ban Ki-moon, representatives of the opposition said that the Russian VC are attacking the city which are not under the control of terrorists.
After the statements by the opposition the situation attended to in Paris. The French Ministry of foreign Affairs invited urgently to convene a working group to discuss the issue of ceasefire violations in Syria.
However, the United States reacted cautiously to reports of his allies and supporters. During the briefing the Minister of defence Ashton Carter declared that the truce will not affect the progress of the operation against the “Islamic state” (banned in Russia). Carter, however, noted the necessity of ending the civil war in Syria.
Moscow has not commented on the accusations of Syrian violation of agreements. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told journalists that Moscow carefully monitors all charges in its address. “Russia adheres firmly to the agreements that were reached in which we were directly involved,” said Ryabkov.
The President’s press Secretary Dmitry Peskov added that the need to exercise maximum caution in statements regarding the cease-fire in Syria.
Russian planes, according to the Ministry of defense, 27 February do not perform combat missions.
Bomb near Aleppo
The cause of reproaches to the Russian side began air raids on cities North of Aleppo. According to the commanders of the Free Syrian army (FSA), the Russian space forces attacked cities controlled by the opposition. The raids confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for human rights. However, according to the head of the organization Rami Abdurrahman, to establish that the aircraft is impossible. He also said that it is unclear which side controlled the town attacked. “We’re not sure, is it a violation of peace agreements, since it is not clear whether the attacked city in the agreement”, — said Abdurahman.
Agrees with him President of the International center for geopolitical analysis Leonid Ivashov. “Russia strikes on UN-recognized terrorist groups,” — says the expert. According to him, the suburbs of Aleppo only partially controlled by the opposition. “A significant part of the control of the terrorists — (banned in Russia) group “Front EN-Nusra and ISIS” — said Ivashov.
These data are entirely consistent with the position of the Russian defense Ministry, which claims that attacked the city seized by terrorists. “The Republican army attempts to cut off Aleppo from support from Turkey and force the terrorists to surrender,” — stressed Ivashov.
For the Northern capital of Syria is the second largest city in the country after Damascus — some weeks there are fights. In early February, government forces, backed by aircraft and units of “Hezbollah” was able to close the highway linking Aleppo with the rebel territories in the North of the country. Assad’s forces continued their movement to the North and in the month of February were able to move to the border with Turkey for a few tens of kilometers. At the same time fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah tried to close the ring around the city, cutting off the insurgents from the Free Syrian army in Western Syria. This isthmus, as claimed by the rebels, continues to bomb Russian aircraft.
“The capture of Aleppo is much more important than the truce. Because of the armistice no advantages for Moscow”, — said the Deputy Director of the Institute for political and military analysis Alexander Khramchikhin. He stressed that it is still unclear what caused Russia’s desire to sign a truce. “The only possible plus is a breakthrough of the international isolation,” — said the expert.
The Turkish question
Kurdish self-defense units after the announcement of the armistice had been reinforcing the “Islamic state” (banned in Russia) on the Northern borders of the provinces of al-hasakah and raqqa. Sunday, February 28, about one hundred armed men crossed the border from Turkey and attacked the Kurds.
As reported Sunday at the briefing, the head of the Centre for reconciliation of the warring parties, Lieutenant-General Sergey Kurilenko, the terrorists were able to capture the Northern part of the city At tell-El Abyad with the support of artillery fire from Turkish territory. Turkey denies the possibility of crossing the Syrian-Turkish border by terrorists.
On Monday Turkey had shelled Northern Syria. Total was made about 50 shots, according to Reuters. According to the Agency, Turkey attacked the territory of the province of raqqa, which is under the control of the IG (banned in Russia). On the same day the RT took a group of Turkish troops on the Northern border of Syria.
According to researcher of the Institute of Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gregory Melamedov, the truce in Syria is complicated by several problems. “It is very difficult to observe a truce with one enemy and continue to fight the other. Especially in a small area,” explains Melamedov. In addition, the truce is hampered by the fact that the mechanisms are not worked out — it is impossible to verify the statements of the parties on the spot. However, the main problem is that all parties see the future of Syria is different. “Some see Syria without Assad, some secular, and some are separated. It is unclear how these points will lead to a consensus” — sums up the expert.
