Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Islamist Syrian rebel group says it won't attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

Published 01/18/2017, 12:01 PM
Updated 01/18/2017, 12:10 PM
Islamist Syrian rebel group says it won't attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

Islamist Syrian rebel group says it won't attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

BEIRUT (Reuters) - One of Syria's strongest rebel factions, the conservative Islamist Ahrar al-Sham group, said on Wednesday it will not attend peace talks to be held in Kazakhstan on Jan. 23.

Several other leading rebel groups decided on Monday that they would be at the talks, which will be attended by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and are backed by Russia and Turkey.

Ahrar al-Sham said in a statement posted on social media that although it was not going, it would support the rebel groups that did plan to attend if they could achieve a beneficial result.

The talks come in the context of a ceasefire declared by Russia and Turkey at the end of last month that has reduced, but not ended, fighting between pro-government forces and rebels that began almost six years ago.

Ahrar al-Sham said its stance was in reaction to continued military activity by the Syrian army and Russian air strikes, and was aimed at preventing new divisions between those rebels who supported, and those who opposed, the talks.

Russia has waged an air campaign in support of Assad since October 2015 and the Syrian president is also backed on the battlefield by Iran and Shi'ite Muslim militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Turkey has been one of the biggest supporters of the mainly Sunni Muslim Syrian rebel groups but its main focus since last year has been on securing its border after a series of attacks within its frontiers by Islamic State and Kurdish militants.

Ahrar al-Sham has tried to maintain good relations with jihadist factions like former al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, but not Islamic State, as well as nationalist rebels supported by Turkey, Gulf monarchies and the United States.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.