Russia failed to honor promises given in Astana - Opposition

Opposition fighting groups who have participated in Astana peace talks on Sunday said that the recent Assad terrorists shelling and bombardment was undermining the prospects of maintaining a Russia-Turkey brokered ceasefire.

Opposition groups, who attended two rounds of talks in the Kazakh capital Astana said they had supported a political solution to end the bloodshed, but that war had been “imposed” on them by the Assad regime and its allies.

They said, in a statement, that they reserved the right to respond to these attacks, which have mostly taken place in Daraa, Homs’ al-Waer neighborhood and Damascus eastern countryside. They also said that Russia had failed to honor the promises it gave about halting bombardment on the opposition-held areas.

During the last meetings in Astana, opposition earlier that it obtained guarantees from Russia to halt bombardment on the opposition-controlled areas in Syria.

Preliminary meetings are due to start today in the Swiss city of Geneva in preparation for the Geneva talks which will officially start on Feb. 23.