Syrian Truce Talks Off to Difficult Start in Astana

Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition factions, brokered by Russia and Turkey, had a difficult start in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Monday, January 23.

According to reports, the government’s key negotiator, Bashar Jaafari, said the description of the Syrian government by his opposition counterpart, Mohammed Alloush, as a “terrorist entity” was a “provocative” move that was “removed from diplomacy.”

The video here shows Alloush speaking during a morning session attended by all delegations. Alloush said that while opposition groups preferred talks, they remained prepared for armed conflict.

Al Jazeera reported that though all sides attended the morning session, no direct talks had taken place between the Syrian rebel delegation and government officials, with each accusing each other of violating the ceasefire in Wadi Barada near Damascus. Credit: Facebook/Osama Abu Zaid via Storyful