Iran asked to stop truce violation in Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called on Iran to exert pressure on Shiite militias it backs and the Syrian government to stop violating a ceasefire in Syria, warning it was putting planned peace talks in peril.

Turkey is working with Russia on the question of sanctions for those who violate the ceasefire deal, which was brokered by Ankara and Moscow, Cavusoglu said in a televised interview with the state-run Anadolu news agency.

He warned that peace negotiations being prepared by Moscow in the Kazakh capital, Astana, could fail if increased ceasefire violations are not halted.

Russian officials will visit Turkey on January 9-10 to discuss the framework for Syrian peace talks planned to be held in Kazakhstan, Cavusoglu said.

Russia and Turkey back opposing sides in the Syrian civil war but have brokered a fragile ceasefire, slated to be followed by peace talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

Air strikes on a building in northern Syria used by an insurgent group formerly known as Al Nusra Front killed at least 30 people and wounded dozens more on Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based Observatory said it was unclear whether the strikes near Sarmada in the countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib had been carried out by aircraft belonging to Russia or to the US-led coalition.

Tuesday was the fifth day of a ceasefire in Syria but its sponsors, Russia and Turkey, say this excludes Daesh and the Syrian Islamist militia Fateh Al Sham Front, formerly called Al Nusra Front.

Abu Anas Al Shami, a Fateh Al Sham spokesman, said the attack was carried out by the international coalition. More than 20 people were killed, he said.

“The headquarters targeted by the international coalition a short time ago are a main headquarters for that area and contains a number of branch offices, leading to the killing of the brothers,” he said in a statement.

The Observatory reported that some of the casualties were detainees being held in the building, but the Fateh Al Sham spokesman denied that it was used as a prison.

Fateh Al Sham changed its name in July and announced it was severing ties with Al Qaida.

The Observatory said eight Fateh Al Sham fighters and leaders have been killed in air strikes around rebel-held Idlib in January.

source: GULF NEWS