Saudi FM: Assad’s future among sticking points on Syria deal

A U.S.-backed Syrian rebel alliance on Saturday announced a fresh offensive against Islamic State in the northeast province of Hasaka, a day after the United States said it would send special forces to advise insurgents fighting the jihadists.

“This is tinkering around the edges and it does up America’s role and it will allow America to go to the Iraqis and go to the Russians and everybody and say we are doing more, but it doesn’t fundamentally change anything”, Landis said. It is not clear how many rebel groups would agree to a plan that doesn’t result in Assad’s immediate departure.

Washington has targeted Islamic State with air strikes for over a year since fighters seized swathes of eastern Syria and northern Iraq and proclaimed a caliphate to rule all Muslims. Russian Federation resisted the push by blocking attempts at the United Nations to pressure the Syrian leader and insisting that any new government only be established by mutual consent of both the government and the opposition.

For Syria, it is part of what US officials call a two-pronged strategy of increasing aid to groups they describe as “moderate rebels” fighting against Islamic State, while also working on diplomacy to remove Assad from power. In September, Iran, alongside Russian Federation, launched a military operation that aimed to bolster Assad’s regime.

George Sabra, a member of the Syrian National Coalition, told Reuters the failure to invite Syrians showed a “lack of seriousness”. “It does, no question about it”, Carter said during a visit to Alaska.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 12 rockets were fired at Douma.

In August, air strikes on Douma were said to have killed around 100 people. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Thursday Washington was looking for signals from Moscow and Iran that they were willing to use their influence in Syria to help usher Assad from power.

The number of special operations troops was likely to be in the range of 20 to 30, said one US official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The announcement marks a shift in policy by President Barack Obama. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.

The communique also envisions humanitarian access throughout the Syrian territory, as well as increased support for internally and externally displaced people. He said the groups believed there would then be enough “critical mass” for them to come and meet.

Despite the wide differences in position at the Vienna talks, officials say the fact the meeting is taking place with so many countries is a sign that progress is possible. Unresolved in the talks today, he said, was the issue of Assad’s future.

Kerry said the U.N.-led process should lead to a new constitution for Syria and internationally supervised elections, as well as an end to violence between Assad’s military and Sunni rebel groups so the world community can focus on the fight against the Islamic State.

Even if the countries do reach an agreement on Assad it won’t solve everything.

“We have agreed on, and this is reflected in the joint communique, to firmly and consistently fight against ISIL and other terrorist structures as recognized by the UN Security Council, as well as hold further consultations to agree on a list of other organizations, which are not yet included in the United Nations lists, but are clearly terrorist”, Lavrov clarified.