Ankara: Syria’s main opposition groups and Turkey on Friday rejected discussing the future administrative make-up of Syria or a new constitution at talks aiming to end the civil war, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.
The ministry’s number two Umit Yalcin hosted Syrian political opposition groups, as well as representatives of armed rebel factions at a meeting in Ankara ahead of new peace talks later this month.
The opposition took part in talks in the Kazakh capital Astana last month brokered by Russia and Turkey, whose differences on the civil war have narrowed in recent months.
At those talks, Russia gave the rebels a draft version of a new Syria constitution and the blueprint has been promoted by Moscow as offering a possible solution to the conflict.
But a Turkish foreign ministry source said that at the Ankara meeting “all participants pointed out that bringing up the future administrative system of Syria... and attempting to start a discussion on issues such as a new constitution, autonomy or federalism... risk serving the purposes of those who pursue unilateral agendas.”
New talks backed by the United Nations are scheduled in Geneva on February 20 but the source said groups pursuing unilateral agendas “at the expense of the territorial integrity of Syria” should have no place at the table.
A fragile ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia between rebels and the regime has largely held since December. But the source said all sides denounced “unacceptable” violations of the ceasefire and acquisitions of territory by the regime. They also warned against the presence of “fake opposition” at the talks.
Meanwhile, the Turkish military said on Friday its warplanes and jets from the US-led coalition have carried out air strikes near Syria’s al Bab, a town held by IS and besieged by Syrian rebels for almost two months.
A total of 47 IS militants were “neutralised” in clashes and air strikes in the past 24 hours, the military said in a statement, adding that buildings, defence posts, shelters and an ammunition depot were destroyed in raids.
Water supply has been cut off in the city of al Raqqa, the main stronghold of the IS terror group in Syria, after the recent bombing of two bridges over the Euphrates River, a monitoring group said on Friday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said an aircraft, most likely from the international coalition led by the US, destroyed the old and new bridges of the city on Thursday, Efe news reported.
The bombing of the old bridge caused the water supply to be cut in Al Raqqa as the main pipeline supplying the town suffered damage.
The group added that planes also bombed the Al Abara bridge on the northern outskirts of Al Raqqa.
The activist group “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently” said the water supply was cut off in the city because of the destruction of the old bridge in an aerial attack by the international coalition. — Agencies
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
