Syria Cease-Fire At Risk As Heavy Fighting Erupts
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fresh clashes between Assad forces and opposition fighters, including members of the jihadist Nusra Front, outside Aleppo; dozens killed
BY PHILIP ISSA April 2, 2016, 11:51 pm
BEIRUT (AP) Syrias partial cease-fire appeared to be unraveling Saturday as fierce fighting between government forces and opposition fighters, including members of the al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front, erupted outside the countrys second largest city of Aleppo and other parts in the countrys north.
At least 25 pro-government and 16 opposition fighters died in the clashes south of Aleppo, where the Nusra Front and rebel militias captured a village overlooking a major highway, a Britain-based monitoring group told The Associated Press.
The fighting was the most serious in the area since the cease-fire, engineered by the US and Russia, took effect Feb. 27. The violence in the north, along with heavy government airstrikes that killed more than 30 civilians near Damascus this week, threatened to completely dissolve the truce, which had sharply reduced overall violence across the war-ravaged country.
The rebel advances also risk drawing Russia back into the conflict after it shored up the governments position through a fierce bombing campaign that wound down nearly three weeks ago. The oppositions advances threaten to reverse some of the gains made by the government during the Russian campaign.
Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/syria-cease-fire-at-risk-as-heavy-fighting-erupts/
yourpaljoey
(2,166 posts)Russia seems to be right on track.
Russian Bear does not play.
Igel
(35,390 posts)An-Nusra isn't IS. Similar, but different.
No, Russia does play. I have to wonder what triggered the cease fire violation. I've read more than one neutral report "violations happened, so fighting escalated" when it turned out "Russian-backed forces violated the cease fire and when proportionate fire was returned opened full fire." Passivization is something that Putin likes.
yourpaljoey
(2,166 posts)I do not understand what you are trying to say