Efforts intensify to protect Aleppo

03/05/2016| IslamWeb

Bombardment of the northern city of Aleppo shows no sign of ending even as the Syrian regime military extends a unilateral ceasefire around Damascus and opposition strongholds nearby for another 48 hours.

Monday's announcement of the truce extension came as a humanitarian convoy delivered aid to 12,000 families trapped in a regime-besieged area in central Syria.

The Aleppo fighting threatens to scuttle the first peace talks in Geneva between Bashar al-Assad's representatives and opposition groups which are due to resume at an unspecified date after breaking up in April.

Between 350,000 and 400,000 people are believed to remain in opposition-held parts of Aleppo, once a city of two million.
Meanwhile, in Geneva, John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said "several proposals", aimed at finding a way to restore at least a partial truce in Syria, were being discussed.

Saudi condemnation

After meeting Jubeir and Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, Kerry said he hoped for more clarity in the next day or so on restoring the nationwide ceasefire.

"What is happening in Aleppo is an outrage. It's a violation of all humanitarian laws. It's a crime," Jubeir said.
"It's a violation of all the understandings that were reached."

De Mistura, for his part, said he would travel to Moscow for talks.

The US and Russia had agreed to keep extra staff in Geneva to work on the ceasefire.

The peace talks in April in Geneva failed to make any headway, but De Mistura has said he hopes they can resume "during the course of May".

On Monday, France also called for a ministerial meeting of the international group supporting Syria to "restore the ceasefire".

Russian role in question

Al Jazeera's Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from Geneva, said both opposition delegates and diplomats were questioning Russia's role in the peace efforts.

"Many diplomats will tell you Russia is not properly invested in this political process, that instead it seems they are pursuing or allowing their allies to pursue a military option," he said.

"The process is very close to collapse ... if they cannot get the cessation of hostilities back in place."

The regime declared its ceasefire on Friday around Damascus, the capital's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and the coastal Latakia region in the wake of two weeks of rising violence.

But more than three dozen opposition factions said on Saturday they would not respect the truce unless the regime agreed to extend it over the whole country.

The latest partial truce in Syria does not cover Aleppo, the country's largest city and the scene of its worst violence by the regime and the Russian ally in recent weeks.
Russian and American officials said they were working to arrange a truce for Aleppo.

'Barrel bombs' dropped

Regime helicopters dropped "barrel bombs" - crude and unguided explosives - on opposition-held areas in the city and surrounding villages, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, which organizes rescue operations in opposition-held areas of Aleppo, said several civilians were killed and wounded, including a judge for the Ahrar al-Sham opposition group.

The opposition-held local council of Aleppo city announced a state of emergency in areas it runs due to the intense bombardment.

The opposition accuses the Assad regime of deliberately targeting civilians in opposition-held parts of Aleppo to drive them out.

PHOTO CAPTION

Arabic writings on the wall reading "Aleppo is burning", in an opposition held area of Aleppo, Syria, April 29, 2016

Source: Aljazeera.com