Syrian Opposition Calls for More Security Zones

DUBAI (Sputnik) – The so-called "moderate" Syrian opposition is forced to remain at positions close to areas under the control of the Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front) radical group because of a lack of special security areas, a spokesman of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) of the Syrian opposition told RIA Novosti.

"It is necessary to create special security zones, where we could move civilians and members of the moderate opposition, far from Jabhat al-Nusra’s areas of influence, in order to avoid casualties among the civilian population and the moderate opposition, because with a lack of such zones we have nowhere else to go," Naasan Agha said.

On Wednesday, Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told the UN Security Council that Western-backed opposition forces in Syria have not broken off ties to the al-Nusra Front group despite their promises to do so.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as the Islamic State (ISIL, also known as Daesh) and al-Nusra Front.

A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. ISIL and al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia, were not part of the deal.