Turkish
FM says Moscow, Ankara have similar views on Syrian settlement
The
Turkish foreign minister notes the two countries plan to cooperate in
the military sphere
10
August, 2016
ANKARA,
August 10. /TASS/. Turkey and Russia have common views on political
settlement in Syria, including issues of observing ceasefire and
delivering humanitarian aid, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.
"We
(with Russia) have similar views on the ceasefire in Syria,
humanitarian aid and political settlement," Anadolu Agency
quoted Cavusoglu as saying.
Moscow
and Ankara "are building mechanisms of close cooperation on
Syria settlement," he dded
.
"We
already have established mechanisms on Syria with Russia, between the
militaries, foreign ministries and intelligence services.
Representatives of these structures will come to Russia today and
hold talks," Cavusoglu said. He noted that the two countries
plan to establish "a more effective mechanism in the future and
maintain contacts at a higher level."
The
Turkish foreign minister noted that the two countries also plan to
cooperate in the military sphere, as well as in intelligence and
diplomacy.
However,
Cavusoglu noted that "there may be some disagreements" on
whether Syrian President Bashar Assad should stay in power. "Instead
of criticizing each other on this matter, we should search for
possibilities to bring close our dialogue on current issues. We will
contribute to resolving Syria’s problems. It is necessary to
achieve observance of ceasefire in Syria immediately," he
concluded.
On
Tuesday Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart
Recep Tayyip Erdogan met for the first time today after Turkish Air
Force downed a Su-24 bomber that took part in the Russian Aerospace
Defense Forces’ counter-terrorist operation in Syria on 24 November
2015.
Russia
demanded apologies, a compensation and to punish those guilty. Moscow
severed contacts with Ankara until Turkey agreed to fulfill the
demands. In July, Erdogan wrote a letter to Putin apologizing for the
incident.
Russia’s
General Staff: About 7,000 militants amassed on Aleppo approaches
According
to the Russian general, militants are pulling in additional forces
from their controlled areas in the provinces of Idlib, Homs and Hama
TASS,
10
August, 2016
MOSCOW,
August 10. /TASS/. Terrorists have concentrated about 7,000 fighters
on the south-western approaches to the Syrian city of Aleppo together
with armored vehicles and artillery, Head of the Main Operations
Department at Russia’s General Staff Sergei Rudskoi said on
Wednesday.
Turkish
FM says Moscow, Ankara have similar views on Syrian settlement
"The
most alarming situation has developed on the south-western approaches
to Aleppo where terrorists have created a grouping of about 7,000
gunmen over the week with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles,
artillery and vehicles with armament mounted on them," he said.
This
grouping continues to be replenished through terrorists’ reserves,
he added.
"The
militants are pulling in additional forces from their controlled
areas in the provinces of Idlib, Homs and Hama," the Russian
general said.
The
Russian general noted that situation around the Syrian city of Aleppo
remains highly complicated as the militants continue attacking the
government forces.
"In
spite of the efforts to maintain ceasefire, the situation around
Aleppo remains highly complicated," he said. "Jabhat
al-Nousra militants who are calling themselves Jabhat Fatah al-Sham
now and units of the so-called moderate opposition that have joined
them continue attacks on government forces in to the north and south
of Aleppo."
These
attacks are undertaken in order to deliver weaponry and munitions,
including explosives, to the city.
According
to Rudskoi, militants have lost more than 1,000 fighters to the
southwest of the Syrian city of Aleppo over the past 4 days; about
2,000 insurgents have been injured.
"Terrorists
are suffering severe losses. More than 1,000 militants have been
killed to the southwest of Aleppo over the past 4 days. About 2,000
militants have been wounded. Seven tanks, 8 infantry combat vehicles;
29 guns and mortar launchers and 85 trucks with large-caliber weapons
have been destroyed," Rudskoi said.
He
added that the Syrian government troops backed by the Russian
Aerospace Forces had focused their efforts on thwart terrorists’
attempts to throw over fresh reserves to Aleppo’s southwestern
outskirt," Rudskoi added. According to him, strikes are being
delivered at places of concentration of militant forces, armored
vehicles, artillery positions and convoys delivering weapons and
ammunition.
As
reported earlier, on Saturday, August 6, the Syrian troops retreated
from the battle positions on the compound of military schools in
Aleppo. Along with it, they managed to disrupt delivery of armaments
and redeployment of rebel reinforcements to the eastern part of the
city, which is encircled by government troops.
On
Monday, August 9, the military once again cut off the enemy’s
access to the corridor leading to the eastern districts of Aleppo.
Several
armed detachments of militants have left Aleppo through a special
corridor, Rudskoy said.
"A
supplementary humanitarian corridor for the armed militants'
withdrawal located near Castello Road continues operating," he
said. "I'd like to emphasize that several armed groups that have
recognized the unpromising character of further combat actions have
left the eastern part of the city through this corridor taking the
armaments away with them."
Humanitarian
operation in Aleppo
The
humanitarian operation in Aleppo continues, all humanitarian
corridors in the city are open around the clock, the Russian general
said.
"The
humanitarian operation launched together with the Syrian authorities
to provide assistance to civilians in Aleppo continues. All seven
humanitarian corridors that have been set up for civilians leaving
the city and gunmen willing to lay down arms are open and work around
the clock," he said.
Ambulance
cars are on duty near these corridors, field kitchens have been
deployed, there are supplies of drinking water and food, Rudskoi
said.
"To
date, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties
has delivered more than 50 tons of food, basic necessities and
medications as well as 93 tons of bottled water to the city of
Aleppo," he dded.
Almost
50 organizations have supported the Russian Defense Ministry's
initiative of rendering humanitarian aid to the residents of Syria's
city of Aleppo, the Russian general said.
"As
of now, the National Defense Management Centre of the Russian
Federation through its hotline and the Defense Ministry through its
website have already received messages with confirmed intention from
47 various organizations to take part in rendering humanitarian aid
to the Aleppo residents," he said.
China
and Serbia expressed support to the Russian initiative for the
rendering of Humanitarian operation in Aleppo, Rudskoi reaffirmed.
All
military hostilities in Aleppo will stop for three hours every day as
of August 11 to allow humanitarian convoys into the Syrian city,
Sergei Rudskoi added.
"As
of tomorrow, humanitarian aid ‘windows’ will open from 10am to
1pm local time to guarantee the safe passage of relief convoys into
Aleppo. All military hostilities, aviation and artillery strikes will
be halted during that time," Rudskoi said.
Rudskoi
also noted that Russian military experts would continue discussing
the relief operation in Aleppo with the United Nations and the United
States.
"We
are ready for a constructive dialogue with all the sides interested
in settling the Syrian crisis. We support the proposals by the UN to
establish joint control over the delivery of humanitarian aid to the
population of Aleppo along the Castello road," Rudskoi said.
Moscow
and Damascus launched a joint humanitarian operation in Aleppo on
July 28. Several corridors were set up for civilians and gunmen
leaving the city. Food, medicines and staple commodities are
delivered to Aleppo.
A
separate corridor was meant for the armed groups willing to leave the
city who are not going to lay down arms. Russian Defense Minister
Sergei Shoigu earlier explained that this step stemmed from the fact
that Russia received no data from the US on drawing the line between
the Jabhat al-Nusra group (outlawed in Russia) and the Free Syrian
Army.
Supplies
enter west Aleppo through the Castello highway
A
convoy of 40 trucks consisting of food supplies entered the
government-held districts of Aleppo through the Castello highway
north of the city.
The
government was forced to adopt the new makeshift route to supply the
1.5 million civilians living in the large city following recent
jihadist advances that rendered the primary Ramousah supply route
inoperable.
Nusra
commander defects to ISIS with his battalion
The
leader of Jabhat Al Nusra’s, now Jabhat Fath Al-Sham, Barraq
Battalions defected from the Al-Qaeda affiliated terror group and
joined the notorious ISIS group.
He
was based in the troubled Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp that was
once a very prosperous district in Damascus. Notably, violent battles
took place between the two internationally-recognized terror groups a
few months ago.
ISIS
may now look to attack the government positions near the city center
of Damascus or the rebel positions of Jaish Al-Islam in the nearby
Yalda.
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