MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The rebel factions cited "large" ceasefire violations as cause for freezing of all peace efforts.
"The regime and its allies have continued firing and committed many and large violations. As these violations are continuing, the rebel factions announce… the freezing of all discussion linked to the Astana negotiations," the statement read as quoted by BBC.
2 January 2017, 17:40 GMT
On Saturday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a Russian-Turkish resolution on a ceasefire regime in Syria, as well as on holding political talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups in Astana, Kazakhstan in January 2017. A day earlier, a nationwide ceasefire between Syrian government troops and several opposition factions came into force. Russia and Turkey serve as guarantors of the deal which paves the way for negotiations between the warring parties.
The Syrian civil war, with government forces fighting various groups of militants, broke out in March 2011. According to the United Nations, about 300,000 Syrians were killed in the conflict. Russia started conducting aerial attacks against terrorists in September 2015, at the request of the Syrian government.
