Russian Security Council: Humanitarian Truce in Aleppo Necessary to Separate “Moderate Opposition” from Terrorists

MOSCOW-The Russian Security Council has stressed that the humanitarian truce implemented in Aleppo was very important to start the process of separating “moderate opposition” from terrorists, according the Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov.  

Peskov said on Friday that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin discussed with permanent members of the Russian Security Council the situations around Aleppo and Mosul.

“The President and the Security Council discussed in detail the situation around Aleppo in the context of the humanitarian pause and the importance of using it to begin the process of differentiating the [moderate opposition] from terrorists,” Peskov added.

 “Besides, the participants exchanged opinions on the operation to liberate Mosul,” the press secretary continued. “They expressed concern with the potential flows of militants to Syria and with the abrupt increase of the refugee flows.”

Lavrov: “Al-Nusra Front” Refuses to Leave Aleppo Despite Russian, Syrian Goodwill Gesture

Meantime, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said thatMoscow is concerned that al-Nusra Front terrorists are refusing to leave Syria’s Aleppo despite Russia’s and Syria’s goodwill gesture in the city.

 “We are concerned that despite those goodwill gestures undertaken by Moscow and Damascus in regard to the situation in Aleppo seeking to normalize it, we see that al-Nusra Front militants are refusing to leave the city,” Lavrov said at a press conference.

According to the Russian minister, other armed groups in Aleppo have also not left the city.

Al-Nusra Front and allies sabotage humanitarian aid delivery efforts to east Aleppo

Lavrov went on to say that militants from Al-Nusra Front (now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) and Ahrar ash-Sham terrorist groups are sabotaging UN efforts, supported by Damascus and Moscow, to deliver humanitarian aid to eastern Aleppo.

“Both Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar ash-Sham, along other organizations cooperating with them, are ultimately sabotaging UN efforts to restore the delivery of humanitarian assistance to eastern Aleppo, [carried out] with [Russia’s] support and the support of the Syrian government,” Lavrov told the press on Friday. “[They] explicitly shell those routes through which such humanitarian aid can be delivered.”

Lavrov said that according to Russian intelligence, all the groups which have been operating in Aleppo are “one way or another under the command” of Al-Nusra Front, “which controls eastern Aleppo.”

He also noted that those terrorists have been preventing the exit of civilians from eastern Aleppo, as well as blocking the exit of militants who had expressed readiness to respond to the call by the United Nations to leave the area.

Russia Not Surprised US Not Considering al-Nusra Front Target in Syria

Lavrov pointed out that Russia is not surprised that the United States does not view al-Nusra Front terrorists as a target in Syria and notes lack of attempts to suppress it, Lavrov said.

 On Thursday, the US State Department said that the country’s military efforts were not directed against al-Nusra Front and it was not a priority for it.

 “As far as the statements how the coalition treats al-Nusra Front, how Nusra is not a target for the coalition, it was not a revelation for us,” the diplomat said.

Agencies

H.M