Russian delegation arrives in Syria’s Daraa for talks

By Mohamad Misto

DARAA, Syria (AA) – A Russian military delegation arrived in the city of Daraa in southwestern Syria on Sunday to resume cease-fire talks with opposition groups.

Vehicles carrying members of the Russian delegation entered the town of Busra Al-Sham, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent in the area.

Talks between the two sides broke down on Saturday without an agreement.

Russia has set a number of conditions for an agreement with opposition groups, including laying down their weapons, trying those involved in alleged war crimes and banning anyone from moving from southern Syria into the country’s north.

The opposition has rejected the Russian conditions.

In the last several days, Daraa has been the target of intense air and ground attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime and its allies, who have advanced deep into Daraa’s eastern countryside, capturing the towns of Busra al-Harir and Nahtah.

Over 100 civilians have been killed and thousands displaced since the regime offensive began two weeks ago.

Following peace talks held last year in Kazakh capital Astana, Daraa was designated a “de-escalation zone” in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

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