MESOP BACKGROUNDER : A Deception by Russia & Turkey? / THE NON-CEASEFIRE

1 Jan 2017 – MESOP  – The opposition and rebels claimed that the ongoing pro-Assad attacks were enabled by a deliberate deception by the Assad regime key’s ally Russia and Turkey, which has been a leading backer of the rebellion.

Rebel factions noted that they had signed a version of the truce agreement which excluded only the Islamic State. But they said that the Assad regime had accepted a version with several key changes, notably the exclusion of both ISIS and the jihadist faction of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.

The addition of JFS, formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, is essential because it allows the regime — and its allies, including Russia — to continue attacks on opposition areas with the pretext that they are targeting JFS/Nusra, even when the faction is not present.The opposition and rebels also said other non-negotiable conditions were omitted from the version signed by the Assad regime. A Russian-Turkish summary of the ceasefire, excluding both ISIS and JFS/Nusra, was presented to the UN Security Council for approval on Saturday. The Council welcomed and supported the truce; however, it stopped short of endorsing the agreement.Western members of the Council sought changes to clarify the UN’s role and the meaning of the agreement brokered by Moscow and Ankara. Several delegates “said the agreement contained gray areas and that its implementation was fragile”. www.mesop.de