Syrian army enters Aleppo air base after ISIL siege

“Armenpress” reports about this, citing TASS website.

The document said the Syrian opposition which takes part in the political process must form a “united delegation ” and be agreed beforehand. He explained that there had been a decision to create three sub-groups: on terrorism, “which is a pending issue, as you know” one regarding the opposition; and one on humanitarian issues.

The BBC adds that a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said that the priority ahead of next Saturday’s key summit should be to establish which Syrian opposition groups are to be regarded as partners in the process, and which are to be considered “terrorist” and unacceptable.

The telephone conversation was initiated by Russian Federation.

Russian Federation has been calling on moderate opposition forces in Syria to agree a truce with the government and fight with it against the common terrorist threat.

The country quickly descended into war – still continuing today – resulting in the death of more than 250,000 people, with civilians often being targeted by air and ground attacks from both sides. Situated along the Mediterranean, it is also where a refurbished air facility is serving as the main base for the Russian air offensive in Syria.

One Security Council diplomat described the Russian reform proposal as “back-of-the-envelope stuff” and “not the answer”.

“The Syrian people have never accepted the dictatorship of Assad and they will not accept that it is reintroduced or reformulated in another way”, said Monzer Akbik, according to Reuters.

On Tuesday US Air Force General Herbert Carlisle said communications with Russian Federation have vastly improved since the start of Moscow’s bombing campaign with twice-daily talks and a hotline set up.

Experts now believe the base could be used by Russian planes as the country continues its air campaign against rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, while aiding their efforts to re-take Syria’s second city of Aleppo, according to AFP.

The plan was contained in a document entitled “approach to the settlement of the Syrian crisis” that called for setting up a constitutional commission made up of members of “domestic and outside opposition” groups. The government refers to all rebels fighting against it in the four-year civil war as terrorists.

It suggests that the group include numerous same members that are taking part in the Vienna talks: the USA, Russia, China, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Germany, Italy, the UN special envoy, Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the European Union.

The Syrian army meanwhile has broken a siege in the north.

“We are not against elections, we are democrats, but it can not be that we are forced to accept a president, who is a criminal, who destroyed the country – what logic is behind this idea”, Kilo said.

“So this type of momentum [which] we have been waiting for we need to support”, he said.

Moreover, such a move to boost its action against Islamic State would further move regional forces opposing the group towards its camp, and away from the USA, which is seen as providing lackluster support.