Alwaght- The Syrian army and its allies show a certainty and resolution to launch a military operation against the terrorist groups in Aleppo, driving Washington and its regional allies to go to great lengths to prevent a defeat of the terror groups through stepping up diplomatic and media pressures against the anti-terror assault in Syria’s largest city.
The US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in Geneva on Monday, has said that the Americans were in direct talks with Russians even at the current time.
Kerry told the journalists that the US wanted Russia to cooperate with Washington as it urged the Syrian government to follow Russian advice and stand responsible to the world community.
Kerry continued that the US and Russia-sponsored ceasefire which went into effect on February 27 must be extend to included Aleppo which in the recent days has witnessed an escalation of fighting.
The US Secretary of State met in Geneva with Nasser Juddah, the Jordanian foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister as well as the Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy to Syria.
Like before, Saudi Arabia’s al-Jubeir took tough positions against the Syrian government and condemned the Syrian army’s anti-terror attacks without mentioning his country’s bombing of the Yemeni infrastructures in the over-a-year aggression.
The Saudi foreign minister reiterated the call for the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
Meanwhile, some of the Western and Arab media have launched a heavy media campaign against the Syrian Arab Army’s operation in Aleppo and tried to mobilize the public opinion against the Syrian government’s efforts to battle the terrorism in the city.
The US’ and allies’ efforts to thwart the Syrian armed forces’ operation saw an intensification after reports emerged that Resistance Axis, including the Syrian, Iranian and Lebanon’s Hezbollah’s forces, backed by Russia, are seriously intending to put under a full siege the terrorist forces in Aleppo, north of the country.
Aleppo was Syria’s largest industrial and finance center before it was exposed to devastation by the crisis in the country. The city enjoys a symbolic significance and it is suggested that winner of Aleppo’s decisive battle would emerge as final winner of Syria’s five-year conflict. The city is now divided between the Syrian government’s forces and the militant groups.
The most important militant group which holds ground in Aleppo is al-Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda terrorist group. According a Russian-American deal, al-Nusra is not party to the truce between the Syrian government and the militant groups and thus it is legal to target the militant group.
The US officials earlier had admitted that al-Nusra Front played crucial role in Aleppo. Colonel Steven Warren, the spokesman for the US operations in Iraq, has commented on the possible joint Syrian and Russian attacks against the militant groups in Aleppo, saying the Syrian government, backed by Moscow, was concentrating forces around Aleppo. Colonel Warren added that al-Nusra Front was in control of Aleppo and the militant group was no party to the deal for cessation of fire. Such remarks by the US spokesman are seen to be a legitimization of the upcoming anti-terror assault by the Syrian army and its allies in Aleppo. The observers also believe that such remarks lay bare Washington’s disappointment with Moscow’s willingness to prevent Syrian government from launching the Aleppo anti-terror battle.
Earlier this week, Kerry said to the New York Times it was too difficult to draw lines between al-Nusra and other militant groups, acknowledging that Russia too could start operation in Aleppo due to presence of al-Nusra terror group there.
It seems that the Americans are seeking to hold back the Syrian government from launching military operation in Aleppo. Once they fail to do so, they would try limiting the operation in the second step.
According to the Associated Press’ report, the US is busy, with Russia, working on an accurate plan to determine some safe spots in Aleppo. The report added that the “civilians and the moderate rebels” could stay safe from the airstrikes in the specified zones.
A US official told Associated Press that there would be firm lines drawn to determine specific areas and neighborhoods in Aleppo.
However, the Russians already rejected the US proposal and it is unlikely that Moscow accepts such a plan or could press the Syrian government to consider the specified areas in Aleppo when launches operation.
Gennady Gatilov, the Russian deputy foreign minister, said on Saturday that what was taking place in Aleppo was a fight against a terrorist threat and Moscow would never press Damascus to halt its anti-terror battle in Aleppo.
