Alwaght- Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the US-Russia brokered ceasefire in Syria has given the chance to terrorists to regroup.
“We agreed that the Al-Nusra Front and the likes of it would be separated from the so-called healthy opposition factions, and we would be shown where the latter are located. But what we see today is not separation of the healthy part of the opposition and the terrorists. We see terrorist forces trying to regroup,” RT cited Vladimir as saying journalists on Saturday.
It seems that Russia, once again, has come to the conclusion that a US-facilitated truce has only done a favor for terrorist groups, as Mr. Putin confirmed that terrorists groups, which Russia expected to be separated from the so-called moderate rebels with the US help, and be subject to joint US-Russian attacks, are instead using the ongoing ceasefire to regroup.
Kremlin and White House agreed last week to use their influence on the Syrian government and the so-called moderate rebel forces respectively to establish a ceasefire in the war-torn country.
Russia has repeatedly complained that the US is failing to keep its part of the bargain and stop the mingling of armed groups, which genuinely want peace in Syria, and those which want the hostilities to continue.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also said that the US is still reluctant to take measures to force rebels under its control to implement the Syrian ceasefire, adding that if things do not change, Washington will be the sole side responsible for the failure of the truce.
“After five days of the ceasefire, it has to be noted that only the Russian and Syrian sides have been fully implementing their commitments. On its own initiative, Russia prolonged the cessation of hostilities for 48 hours, and yesterday it was extended for another 72 hours,” senior Russian General Staff official, Viktor Poznikhir, said at a briefing in Moscow.
But, according to Poznikhir, it is very different on the American side as “the US and the so-called moderate groups under their control didn’t fulfill a single commitment undertaken in the framework of the Geneva arrangements.”
The Russian official pointed out that the main priority of the Russian-American agreements of September was the division of territories controlled by ISIS terrorist group (Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra, and the areas controlled by the ‘moderate opposition,’ as well the separation of the ‘moderate opposition’ from Jabhat al-Nusra.
Such a division is essential for the implementation of the ceasefire in Syria because “without it, the hands of the government forces are tied. They can’t fight the terrorists without knowing which of them joined the truce and who didn’t,” he explained.
Numerous Russian appeals to the American side remain unanswered, which “raises doubts over the US’s ability to influence opposition groups under their control and their willingness to further ensure the implementation of the Geneva agreements.
“Russia is making every possible effort to hold off government troops from the use of force in return [to opposition attacks]. If the US does not implement the necessary measures to fulfill their obligations under the September 9 agreements, the responsibility for the failure of the ceasefire will be solely America’s,” Poznikhir said.
The US for its part accused Russia of not pressuring Damascus enough to facilitate humanitarian access to Syria. The Syrian government cited the danger posed by continued shelling by non-compliant rebel forces as the reason why humanitarian convoys were not allowed to pass through.
