Reuters: Syrian opposition casts doubt on U.N. peace talk plan
Syrian rebels said on Wednesday they were under fierce government attack near the Turkish border despite a cessation of hostilities agreement and a representative cast doubt on whether U.N.-backed peace talks would go ahead on March 9 as planned.
The agreement drawn up by the United States and Russia came into effect on Saturday and has slowed but not entirely stopped a conflict that has been going on for almost six years. Both the government and rebels have accused each other of violations.
The agreement does not include Islamic State or al Qaeda's Nusra Front, which is widely deployed in opposition areas.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Syrian villagers hope for calm as Russia keeps eye on truce.
Kurdish-led fighters close in on Syrian city of Aleppo.
Israel claims Syria used chemical weapons during cease-fire.
Biden, Iraq's Abadi discuss military, financial support in call: White House.
Iraq hails progress troops achieved in military operation.
Jordan: 7 killed in raid had ties to IS, planned attacks.
Israeli Army: Forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinian attackers.
Palestinians turn to makeshift guns in escalation of street violence.
GCC declares Lebanon's Hezbollah a 'terrorist' group. In jab at Iran, Persian Gulf Arab states declare Hezbollah a terrorist group.
ASIA
U.N. imposes harsh new sanctions on North Korea drafted by U.S., China.
Unclear how North Korea will respond to U.N. sanctions: White House.
Philippine assault seizes terrorist lair, kills 24 militants.
Moody's cuts China outlook to negative.
Islamic State group in competition for recruits in Pakistan.
Chinese ships have taken over an atoll in the South China Sea, reports say. Philippine officials say China blocked access to disputed South China Sea atoll.
Suicide attack targets India's consulate in eastern Afghanistan. Afghan forces kill Indian consulate suicide attackers.
Debris in Mozambique is thought to come from Malaysia Airlines flight.
Huge quake strikes off Indonesia but tsunami warnings canceled.
AFRICA
Tunisian forces kill five militants crossing from Libya.
76 hungry Boko Haram members surrender to Nigerian military.
Egypt parliament expels MP for dining with Israeli ambassador.
In Islamic State battle, Cairo struggles to rally Sinai tribes.
'Somalia needs substantial funding to strengthen security'.
Battle for Merca: Al-Shabab ambushes Somalia troops in embattled port city.
Life returns to Libya city streets after Daesh ‘shock’.
UN warns of hunger crisis in Central African Republic. Hunger soars in CAR as nearly 2.5 million face food shortages.
South African finance minister to miss police deadline in spy unit case.
What UN experts hope to find out in Burundi.
EUROPE
Spanish Socialists defeated in first vote on coalition plan.
Italian mafia earnings from drugs rival Fiat with cars.
Migrant crisis: Russia and Syria 'weaponising' migration.
Merkel calls for Germany to get more involved in world affairs.
Germany calls on EU to help Greece, urges Athens to protect border.
Gloom deepens over Ukraine peace deal before Paris meeting.
Rajoy mocks Socialist bid to end Spain's political impasse.
Irish PM says open to talks with main rival.
Nothing to see here: Russian TV suppresses story of alleged beheading by nanny.
Norway denies inhuman treatment of mass killer Breivik.
AMERICAS
OAS rights commission finds 'serious crisis' in Mexico. Rights group decries 'crisis of violence and impunity' in Mexico.
Trump not yet on track to win nomination. Ben Carson says 'no path forward' in his bid for White House.
Clinton, Trump cemented as 2016 leaders; GOP desperate.
Clinton, Trump brace for epic White House showdown.
FBI director: I am closely involved with Clinton email investigation.
Brazil's No. 2 builder admits illegal Rousseff campaign funding: paper.
Cuba announces first case of Zika, imported from Venezuela.
Puerto Rico braced for more Zika cases.
Court hears suit against U.N. on Haiti Cholera outbreak.
FBI chief says agency made mistake in early stages of San Bernardino probe.
Mexican drug lord Guzman seeks to speed up extradition to U.S..
Evo Morales's estranged son 'to talk to media'.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Spanish al Qaeda commander killed by French forces in Mali: sources.
Terror expert describes Islamic State tactics, recruiting.
US captures ISIS fighter in Iraq.
Osama Bin Laden’s Files: Al Qaeda relocated operatives out of northern Pakistan.
Bin Laden feared wife had tracking device in her tooth.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Exxon sees no oil-market rebound any time soon as glut persists.
Rolls-Royce gives board seat to activist shareholder.
Germany takes on Facebook in first-ever competition probe.
World's super rich keep buying up luxury goods in face of wealth decline.
The "Syrian Opposition" in this gloomy Reuters report is George Sabra, chief of the US-sponsored Syrian National Coalition which H. Clinton worked on for years (guys meeting in Egyptian hotels) to...replace Assad. Sabra is a former member of the Syria Communist Party who was persecuted by Syria.
ReplyDeleteSo in this case Sabra is really a stalking horse for the US, who would like this whole enterprise to fail so that Syria might be broken up.
Pat Lang is a bit more optimistic. (quote)
ReplyDeleteWall to wall, the R+6 are progressing in the task of running a marvelously successful ANTICOIN campaign. The Syrian government has declared an amnesty for non-jihadi rebels. As you can read above that seems to be doing well. It is better to work on re-integrating them than to kill them all which is the alternative policy choice.
Across the country the war goes on against the jihadis. ground is being regained everywhere, ground that will be useful in the final battles needed to make Syria jihadi free. The attritional battle is also going well.
Turkey appears to be stymied by the threat of Russian arms and the War Party hawks in the Borgist US government is "turning and burning" in frustration. The post-Dempsey US Defense Department and JCS is now completely in the hands of the Borgist war party who obviously lust for a confrontation with Russia. It would be tempting to attribute this "bloody mindedness" to male hormonal excesses but, unfortunately the works of the worst are women.
IMO the war in western Syria will be largely ended in the next couple of months. After that, the R+6 will make their contribution to the destruction of IS (the enemies of God).