'Syria regime attacks on Idlib risk political solution'

By Selen Temizer

ANKARA

Attacks on Syria’s Idlib by Bashar al-Assad regime and its supporters are threatening a political solution in the country, according to a delegation of Syrian military opposition.

“Despite some six months have passed since the Sochi agreement that foresaw cease-fire in Idlib, the Bashar al-Assad regime continues to violate the cease-fire agreement in Idlib de-escalation zone with the support of its allies Russia and Iran,” said a statement by the delegation, which represents the Syrian military opposition in the Astana-format international meetings.

Terming the silence of international community on regime attacks on civilians as “shameful”, it added: “The regime attacks on Idlib are threatening the political solution and the Astana process.”

It said that the opposition was in favor of the peaceful solution, and added that the attacks targeting civilians would shatter the hopes for a solution.

“The only responsible for this situation are the guarantor countries of the regime and especially Russia,” it noted.

Located in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border, Idlib was designated as de-escalation zone in May last year where acts of aggression are expressly forbidden.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity.