Opposition: We went to Astana to achieve nationwide ceasefire

The legal advisor of the Free Syrian Army Osama Abo Zeid confirmed that opposition’s delegation attending Astana talks is currently discussing a mechanism to monitor and fully implement the ceasefire in Syria.

Abo Zeid said that opposition’s delegation refused to negotiate directly with Assad regime’s delegation, insisting that the negotiations shall be indirect and through a mediator, Orient News correspondent Ammar Ezz reported form the Kazakh capital Astana.

Opposition delegation called on holding talks in accordance with the UN resolution no. 2254, according to our correspondent.

The spokesperson for opposition fighters’ southern front Major Essam al-Rayes said: “We are here to consider a countrywide ceasefire. As for the peaceful solution, it is the jurisdiction of the Higher Negotiation Committee,” stressing that the talks will focus on releasing the detainees and delivering humanitarian relief to the besieged areas.

Astana talks are sponsored by Russia and Turkey who brokered last month a nationwide ceasefire deal in Syria. The ceasefire was fragile as Assad terrorists breached it many times across Syria, but the shaky deal survived somehow to lead to Monday’s meeting. 

Opposition delegation is made up of about a dozen opposition figures led by Muhammad Alloush, a senior figure in Jaysh al-Islam opposition group.

The Assad regime has sent its UN ambassador, Bashar Ja’afari, in addition to military delegates.